5/5 Sequel is Better
  by Mimi P. Louiso (Atlanta GA)
Man, Simon Baker is easy on the eyes. Gives good background about how Samara came to be. Sissy Spacek in a horror film is always guaranteed good flick.

5/5 Hugely Under-Rated Sequel
  by Stephen B. O'Blenis (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Following the harrowing, unearthly events of The Ring (Widescreen Edition), reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) and her son Aidan (David Dorfman) have moved and are trying to establish a new life away from the horrific memories. But the curse Of Samara (played here by Kelly Stables, doing a great job in taking over the role made famous by Daveigh Chase) isn't over, and has been making its way across the country in search of the Kellers. And, through copies of the original cursed videotape - which dooms those who watch it to die within seven days - claiming new victims along the way.

The angle of the videotape, perhaps surprisingly, doesn't dominate the whole movie. Once Samara catches up with her main targets, things turn. It's still fairly early in the movie here, but I'm going to put up my semi-spoiler warning anyway.

****WARNING - POSSIBLE SEMI-SPOILERS AHEAD*******

Samara has something different in mind for the Kellers than delivering their overdue death, and winds up possessing young Aidan. His mother's struggle to free the boy, and to get to the root of what Samara ultimately wants, then interweave through the remainder of the movie. As with 'The Ring', the sequel is still hesitant to establish definitively whether Samara is true evil or a tragic victim-turned-monster in her own right, although the answer will be a bit clearer by the time you get to the end of this one. That it takes two full movies to get to some kind of understanding of Samara isn't a minus - the constant guessing and interpreting, and new clues coming in along the way, is a big part of the appeal. Another thing that comes in this time around - and this is never stated outright, only hinted at in the broadest terms (and maybe I'm just reading my own interpretation into this) - is a strange sensation that Samara isn't the only child in the movie with a strong supernatural aspect: there's something inherently different about Aidan too, although (presumably) not nearly as sinister or threatening. I would have loved to have seen this thread picked up and expanded on in a 'Ring Three', but I doubt it will ever be made: David Dorfman must be quite a bit older now, and I'm not sure if the movie would work with the Aidan character being more than a year or so older than he was here. Well, it might... but anyhow I haven't heard of any plans for a Ring 3. Nonetheless, The Ring Two adds greatly to the intriguing dynamic running between the saga's main players.

Horror sequels are often criticised for following too closely to the original, and when they try to branch out they're criticised for being too far removed. Keeping its videotape angle but not making it the main focus of the movie, 'The Ring Two' thus received criticism on both fronts. So it kind of shows the Catch-22 situation sequels often have. Personally, I'm a supporter of sequels, in most cases. (There are certain movies, like The Exorcism of Emily Rose - Unrated (Special Edition) or Audition (Uncut Special Edition) where, no matter that the first is great, there's just no space for a sequel. But in general, I like to see a favorite movie followed up by another chapter or four) But with The Ring Two, I would have thought that even those who aren't as enamored with sequels would be be into it. It does a great job of staying true to the original while introducing totally new themes and angles, and it does it in such a way that they seem the most natural points in the world to follow up with. [Special note - The Ring Two is Not a direct remake of either Ringu 2 or Rasen. Very different paths.

Also included on The Ring Two is the short movie 'Rings', which takes place between the two full-length movies, and covers more fully the trail of horror as duplicate copies of the first videotape begin to turn up, and the urban legend becomes better known. It's a great part of the saga that absolutely should Not be skipped, and stars characters only glimpsed in Ring Two.

5/5 Can't believe how inexpensive and what great service!
  by Amy Mitchell
I was skeptical because the movie cost me $1.71. Yes, thAT'S $1.71!! The movie was delivered in a week and was brand new as they stated. I definately will use this company again!

5/5 A gloomy state in a bleak mind
  by Jacques COULARDEAU (OLLIERGUES France)
This film is in many ways perfect as a horror film. The perfection comes from the general situation of a mother and her son. That situation is emotional since there is no father and not even a boyfriend. This delicate but extremely sensation-laden situation is invaded by the ghost of a girl who was initially doomed by her own mother to die drowned in a fountain at the hospital just after birth. The mother was stopped and the child was saved. The mother was institutionalized, but the child later committed suicide by drowning and since then is coming back to haunt someone, to invade a person who then becomes the killer. You add to that the fact television is the main tool used by this ghost to attract and penetrate, invade and possess the person who is going to be her vector to kill and you have one more haunting element. The film add to this colors and scenery. Washington state and its phenomenal, grandiose, impressive but frightening natural setting between the ocean and the mountain, with enormous bridges and a very wet climate without any real sunshine. You have the perfect situation to frighten anyone absolutely "spit"-less. Then the film works all by itself with a little help from the camera. Of course we know they are going to escape the ring, but how, and till the very last minute suspense is there telling us the mother is going to fail, the boy is going to drop out. And success is the last image of this film, not even long enough to feel relieved. Just short enough to know it is finished. Convincing and entertainingly thrilling.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, CEGID


3/5 Ring-A-Ding-Ding...
  by Bindy Sue Frønkünschtein (under the rubble)
THE RING TWO should have been great. It had everything going for it- Naomi Watts and David Dorfman reprise their roles, and it's helmed by the director of the japanese originals RINGU 1 AND 2. However, my hopes for a classic were soon dashed as I watched another so-so sequel unfold. Gone is the grim, cold atmosphere of impending doom that made THE RING such a wonderfully dark experience. Instead, we get a cartoonish, computer-animated deer attack and a very non-threatening Samara! I will always enjoy the first RING, long after this one fades from memory...