The Ring (2002)

Katie (Amber Tamblyn) just died, seemingly randomly. Her aunt, Rachel (Naomi Watts), is a local reporter, tasked with figuring out Katie’s cause of death. When Rachel realizes that the cause of death may be a video tape, her life is thrown into a spiral after watching it herself. With presumably only seven days to live, she and her son, Aidan (David Dorfman), must find a way to survive and break the curse of this wretched video. The Ring is a story of survival, but this maniacal tape has different plans. Can Rachel survive or will the tape consume her?

I was twelve years old and I got my first DVD player. At that moment I was tasked with deciding which DVD I would purchase first; I ultimately decided on The Ring. When I returned home after picking up said DVD, I, for the first time ever, found myself scared by a horror film. I can’t be entirely sure what it was about The Ring that frightened me–it could have been the creepy images, the dark concept, or the simple fact that I watched it alone, in the dark, at twelve years old. Regardless of the reason, The Ring instantly became a film that I not only enjoyed, but appreciated. If I’m being honest, however, since that time I’ve grown–and the level of intensity that The Ring was able to deliver twenty years ago just isn’t the same today–but that’s not necessarily a strike against it, but rather the fact that I’ve matured. Even though the film itself hasn’t aged poorly, its audiences have reached a point in their lives that won’t allow The Ring to land as successfully as it did in 2002.

Realistically The Ring still possesses value in the field of horror, and it really is a suspenseful film full of twists and turns. There’s a level of intensity that exists throughout the course of the film, and I’d be lying if I said the entirety of the film doesn’t play out in just that way, intense. Beyond that intensity, however, is a level of discomfort that exists throughout and begs viewers to reach the edge of their seats, hold on tight, and struggle with fully grasping the film emotionally. If you like something it can be difficult to admit that it’s stressful, but that’s exactly what The Ring is, and, honestly, that’s a good thing in this case. No, it doesn’t shake me like it did two decades ago (and jeez that makes me feel old), but the fact that The Ring can still deliver a level of stress is a testament to what director Gore Verbinski and writer Ehren Kruger (as well as Kôji Suzuki and Hiroshi Takahashi) are able to create.

In the episode “Spooked” of The Office, one of the characters, Gabe (Zach Woods) shares a video with the rest of the office, and he refers to the genre as “Cinema of the Unsettling.”

The film is a series of images pieced together with the sole intention of unsettling all who watch. The Ring feels like a real version of this cinematic venture–and it finds success in that realm, without a doubt. The Ring is unsettling, uncomfortable, and wildly stressful, ultimately landing on its feet and entertaining throughout. There are different levels to this film, and it’s ultimately most successful on the level of mystery-thriller–that’s where it finds itself, and that’s how viewers best appreciate what it has to offer.

Directed by Gore Verbinski.

Written by Ehren Kruger, Kôji Suzuki, & Hiroshi Takahashi.

Starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, Jane Alexander, Lindsay Frost, Amber Tamblyn, Rachael Bella, Daveigh Chase, etc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10