Ju-On: The Grudge tells the story of a curse people leave behind when they die in the midst of an overpowering rage. This rage apparently stays at the location where it “raged,” until an unsuspecting victim enters the area and is greeted by remnants of the dead. So, Ju-On takes a vastly strange and unique path for American viewers with a very vague horror premise and unrewarding pay-offs or explanations. However, it relies on its atmosphere and tension over solely the loud noises and screaming, providing a more entertaining horror experience than most flicks.
The best part about the film is the viewer’s general uneasiness about watching a character, as director Takashi Shimzu constantly switches perspectives and discards characters with the flick of a black title card. It is one of the few horror films that disguises who the main character is, or the survival odds based on star power.
But for its creativity, Ju-On winds up rather generic and standard in the grand scheme of Japanese horror with its scary pale children, ghostly figures and the general style of giving audience scares. While the “villains” are visually more disturbing than the glimpses you get in Ringu, they get stuck in this rut that never makes them truly memorable, especially if after one delves into Japanese horror further. The film succeeds in incorporating the right elements with a near-perfect structure to form a fine genre film, but the film’s appeal is never really strong enough to make it a memorable time.
Reviewed by Tarun
