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Movie Review
The Grudge
By Greg Ward Published October 30, 2004
US Release: October 22, 2004
Directed by: Takashi Shimizu
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar , Jason Behr , Clea DuVall , William Mapother
PG-13
Running Time: 96 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $110,176,000
Directed by: Takashi Shimizu
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar , Jason Behr , Clea DuVall , William Mapother
PG-13
Running Time: 96 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $110,176,000
B
If you go into the film expecting to be scared out of your mind, you will be disappointed; if you want jumps and a chilling atmosphere, I consider this a good choice.
Halloween is right around the corner, and the time has come for horror movies. The first of the season is ?The Grudge,? an American remake of the Asian horror film ?Ju-On: The Grudge.? I have not seen the original, so I really have nothing to compare it to. I do know, however, that the American version possesses some great jump scenes and enough scares to put me in the Halloween mind frame.
Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is a foreign exchange student working as a nurse in Tokyo. She is given a new assignment to take care of a catatonic woman in a mysterious house after the previous worker does not show up for work. Upon her arrival, she learns that something is not right in the house. It turns out that there is a curse on the house in which anyone who steps inside will be exposed to. This curse is born when someone dies in the grip of a powerful rage. As more people die, Karen becomes exposed to the evils within the curse, including two eerie children.
Though ?The Grudge? is not an exceptional movie and adds nothing new to the horror genre, it is a fun ride that kept me on the edge of my seat. There are many great jumps, including the scene where Karen is taking a shower and she feels a slimy hand on the back of her head. Even though this scene is shown in the previews, there is such a good build-up that it still comes as a surprise. I remember how the 1998 movie, ?Halloween: H20,? used so many fake scares to the point where the jumps weren?t even scary. ?The Grudge? avoids the fake scares that many mainstream horror films think are necessary.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is developing a nice presence in horror films. Appearances in ?I Know What You Did Last Summer? and ?Scream 2? and now this show that she is well-suited for this genre. She has a certain innocence that makes her the perfect choice to play a heroine, and allows the audience to see her fear without overacting. Her ability to play her character cool allows you to relate to her and fear for her more. In other horror films such as ?Cabin Fever? and ?House of 1000 Corpses,? the female characters were so ridiculous and unlikable that I could have cared less if they didn?t make it in the end.
?The Grudge? is a good source of entertainment. It has its flaws, but then again, even the best of movies do. If you go into the film expecting to be scared out of your mind, you will be disappointed; if you want jumps and a chilling atmosphere, I consider this a good choice.
Karen (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is a foreign exchange student working as a nurse in Tokyo. She is given a new assignment to take care of a catatonic woman in a mysterious house after the previous worker does not show up for work. Upon her arrival, she learns that something is not right in the house. It turns out that there is a curse on the house in which anyone who steps inside will be exposed to. This curse is born when someone dies in the grip of a powerful rage. As more people die, Karen becomes exposed to the evils within the curse, including two eerie children.
Though ?The Grudge? is not an exceptional movie and adds nothing new to the horror genre, it is a fun ride that kept me on the edge of my seat. There are many great jumps, including the scene where Karen is taking a shower and she feels a slimy hand on the back of her head. Even though this scene is shown in the previews, there is such a good build-up that it still comes as a surprise. I remember how the 1998 movie, ?Halloween: H20,? used so many fake scares to the point where the jumps weren?t even scary. ?The Grudge? avoids the fake scares that many mainstream horror films think are necessary.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is developing a nice presence in horror films. Appearances in ?I Know What You Did Last Summer? and ?Scream 2? and now this show that she is well-suited for this genre. She has a certain innocence that makes her the perfect choice to play a heroine, and allows the audience to see her fear without overacting. Her ability to play her character cool allows you to relate to her and fear for her more. In other horror films such as ?Cabin Fever? and ?House of 1000 Corpses,? the female characters were so ridiculous and unlikable that I could have cared less if they didn?t make it in the end.
?The Grudge? is a good source of entertainment. It has its flaws, but then again, even the best of movies do. If you go into the film expecting to be scared out of your mind, you will be disappointed; if you want jumps and a chilling atmosphere, I consider this a good choice.
Greg's Grade: B
Greg's Overall Grading: 25 graded movies
| A | 36.0% | |
| B | 36.0% | |
| C | 20.0% | |
| D | 8.0% | |
| F | 0.0% |
'The Grudge' Articles
- Friday Box Office Analysis (10/22)
October 23, 2004 The figure is even in line with some of summer?s biggest blockbusters, Alien vs. Predator and I Robot. -- Lee Tistaert
