The Ring *** (2002, Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox) – Classic Movie Review 2295

The 2002 horror movie The Ring stars Naomi Watts as journalist Rachel Keller who, while probing the death of her friend’s child, sees a videotape that brings death within a week to all who watch it. Brian Cox co-stars as Richard Morgan.

Director Gore Verbinski’s 2002 psychological supernatural horror movie The Ring stars Naomi Watts as journalist Rachel Keller who, while probing the death of her friend’s child, sees a videotape that brings death within a week to all who watch it.

This eerie and atmospheric, but not nearly really scary or creepy enough chiller is a conscientious and smart-looking American remake of Hideo Nakata’s 1998 Japanese movie Ring, based on the novel by Kôji Suzuki. It scored a surprise box-office triumph,  grossing $249 million on a production budget of $48 million, and prompting a sequel, The Ring Two, in 2005 and then Rings (2017).

Also in the cast are Martin Henderson, Brian Cox, David Dorfman, Jane Alexander, Lindsay Frost, Amber Tamblyn, Rachel Bella, Daveigh Chase, Shannon Cochran, Richard Lineback and Sandra Thigpen. Adam Brody plays Male Teen #1, Kellen.

The screenplay by Ehren Kruger is based on Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel. The Ring went into production without a completed screenplay, though Kruger wrote three drafts and Scott Frank did an uncredited re-write. The name of Hiroshi Takahashi, writer of the original 1998 screenplay for Ring, is not listed on the film. Verbinski set it in Seattle because of its wet and isolated atmosphere. It was filmed in 2001, mostly in the State of Washington, including Seattle, as well as Oregon.

The Ring is made by MacDonald/Parkes Productions, Bender Spink Inc and Vertigo Entertainment, and was released in cinemas by DreamWorks Pictures on October 18, 2002.

The score is composed by Hans Zimmer and Bojan Bazelli’s cinematography is another asset. It looks and sounds very smart.

The cast are Naomi Watts as Rachel Keller, Martin Henderson as Noah Clay, Brian Cox as Richard Morgan, David Dorfman as Aidan Keller, Daveigh Chase as Samara Morgan, Shannon Cochran as Anna Morgan, Jane Alexander as Dr Grasnik, Lindsay Frost as Ruth Embry, Amber Tamblyn as Katherine “Katie” Embry, and Rachael Bella as Rebecca “Becca” Kotler, Richard Lineback as Innkeeper, Pauley Perrette as Beth, Sara Rue as Babysitter, Sasha Barrese as Girl Teen #1, Tess Hall as Girl Teen #2, Adam Brody as Kellen, Michael Spound as Dave Embry, and Joe Chrest as Dr Scot.

Chris Cooper played a child murderer in two scenes bookending the film, but they were cut from the film.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2,295

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