neumu [ cinematronic ]




	The Ring
	Gore Verbinski Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, Jane Alexander, Lindsay Frost, Amber Tamblyn, Rachael Bella, Daveigh Chase 2002		The phenomenally popular Japanese horror thriller "The Ring" inspired this English-language version, which sticks to the urban-legend hook of the original: Anyone who watches a certain cursed video is doomed to die exactly seven days later. Journalist and mother Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts of "Mulholland Drive") sees the video. It's a disturbing, surreal short that seems, suspiciously, like an end-of-term art school project. Faster than you can say "Hello, Dali!," Rachel's trying to prevent her imminent death while keeping the couch potatoes in her life away from the remote control. To the credit of director Gore Verbinski ("The Mexican"), "The Ring" is snazzy-looking, moves at a nice clip and keeps you guessing. It's not very frightening. It suffers from muddy logic that needs to be dispelled before the ending is acceptable. But it's profundity compared to "feardotcom," the dire quasi-shocker that beat it to market with a plot that appears "inspired," in toto, from "The Ring." Esteemed actors Brian Cox and Jane Alexander bring some élan to the cast.