Now Watching: The Ring Collection

The original Japanese Ring (1998) is one of, if not my favourite horror film. I don’t typically watch or enjoy a lot of horror, they very rarely ‘work’ for me. I usually just find them silly or boring. But Ring? Ring never fails to unsettle me, no matter how many times I’ve seen it. I think it’s the sound, more than anything. Those little audio beats that put you on edge. I wouldn’t say Ring is scary, as such, but it does get under your skin. I think the reason why is how simple and grounded it is.

Ring, if you don’t know, is about a cursed VHS tape. A little dated now, perhaps, but like I said, I still find it very effective. The rules are very clear – once you watch the tape, you have seven days before you die. It’s a story set against a ticking clock, as our protagonist Reiko Asakawa must find a way to break the curse, not only to save herself but her young son Yoichi.

It’s a film that’s perfectly paced, beginning with Reiko’s investigation into what is, more or less, an urban legend shared by schoolchildren. But as Reiko discovers, this legend is real, and as the film progresses, she must trace the origin of this curse back to its roots in order to find a way to escape her inevitable fate.

We know Reiko is safe during these seven days, but as each day passes, the tension grows. Step by step, the mystery is revealed. And just when we think it’s over, and Reiko has successfully ended the curse, there’s a neat little twist to the tale. Unlike say, The Grudge (2002) or a lot of other horror films featuring angry ghosts, Ring abides very strictly by its rules and I think that’s why it’s more effective.

Although I quite liked The Grudge, I always found it a little silly how the ghosts could go anywhere and do pretty much anything. But the ‘monster’ of Ring – Sadako – has to abide by very strict rules and I find that far more compelling and unsettling. She doesn’t just pop up for cheap jump scares and you only actually see her at the very end of the film, but she’s always there, a lingering presence, just out of the corner of your eye, haunting those who are cursed. (9/10)

Ring 2 (1999) is, unfortunately, a disappointing sequel. There are some aspects of it I really like – the way it takes a minor character from the original and elevates them into the protagonist of this film, and the way the characters of Ring 2 attempt to perform a more scientific investigation of the curse in order to find a way to finally break it. That stuff is pretty interesting and not the sort of direction you’d typically expect in a horror sequel.

The problem Ring 2 has is that it’s very unfocused. Is it about breaking the curse (with science!) permanently? Is it about elaborating more on the origins of the curse and Sadako’s power? Is it about exploring the psychic potential of Yoichi and his connection to Sadako? It ends up being a little bit of everything but none of these aspects are explored or concluded in ways that feel particularly satisfying.

The film lacks the tension and unsettling nature of the original. I’m glad it didn’t simply try to do what so many horror sequels do which is tell the same story but with new characters. Ring 2 does attempt to advance the story and reveal more of the mystery surrounding Sadako and the curse. Unfortunately, it spends a long time meandering along and doesn’t really resolve very much by the end. (5/10)

Spiral (1998) is the alternative sequel to Ring. It was the first sequel to be filmed but, because it wasn’t well received upon release, Ring 2 was made to replace it. Spiral, unlike Ring 2, follows the plot of the book series Ring is based upon more closely, but as a result, it also doesn’t really feel like a sequel to the original film at all. Although some characters from Ring do appear, the film follows a new protagonist – Mitsuo Ando. And rather than focus on the VHS tape curse, Spiral instead focuses upon the concept of a ‘supernatural virus’.

I’d actually say I prefer Spiral in some ways to Ring 2 but ultimately, the film loses its way as it reaches its conclusion. It loses the simplicity of the original film – the seven day curse – and instead treats the curse more as a spreading disease that will ‘change’ people and bring about . . . human evolution? Wait, what? And now Sadako has been ‘reborn’ and can also give birth to fully grown men?

The ending of Spiral is almost like some kind of bleak apocalyptic scenario as Sadako and her supernatural plague are unleashed. It’s actually kind of interesting, in a weird sort of way, but I can’t say I care for it as a sequel. It feels like it would work better as its own thing. Ring, for me, was effective because of its simplicity. It was grounded enough to feel ‘real’. But Spiral just gets too wacky and weird for me to really take it seriously. (5/10)

And finally we have Ring 0: Birthday, which serves as a prequel to the series, with Sadako herself now our protagonist. I like Ring 0 quite a bit, even though I’d agree it’s not exactly a story that needed to be told. But though we know where the story is going – Sadako’s got to end up down that bloody well – the film does a good job of building her character and investing us in her story.

Sadako, even in the original Ring, was something of a ‘monster’ you could sympathise with, and I think that’s what makes her more compelling. In Ring 0 we get to see her struggle with her psychic abilities and trying to find her place in the world. But Sadako is haunted by her past and a fate that seems inevitable. Even though we all know how it ends, you still kind of hope she’ll find some way to escape.

And that’s the fun thing about Ring 0 – it’s not really a horror film, not in the typical sense. Because in Ring 0 you’re kind of rooting for the ‘monster’. Even when at the end, she goes full Carrie and starts murdering everyone, you’re kind of cheering her on because those f**kers kind of deserved it. Well, most of them, at least. (6/10)

Overall, Ring is excellent, and Ring 0: Birthday is a pretty decent prequel. If you want to watch one of the sequels I’d recommend Ring 2 before Spiral but, as I said, there’s still enough interesting and weird shit in Spiral to make it worth checking out. And, of course, there’s even more Ring stuff out there – the American remakes, a TV show, and more (terrible) sequels including a Grudge / Ring crossover.

It’s kind of funny how such a small, simple horror movie about a cursed VHS tape spawned such a massive franchise. But Ring really is that good. It’s just a shame nothing that followed it could quite hit the same high.