With 2002’s The Ring being a huge hit, American studios were desperate to remake other Japanese horror movies that were popular. One of the best American remakes of a Japanese horror movie is 2004’s The Grudge. My wife will tell you it is because I have a major crush on Sarah Michelle Geller (which admittedly I do!) but this is a fantastic and creepy horror movie that I am a huge fan of.
How to Download The Grudge (2004)
The Grudge was released on October 22, 2004. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like the film, check out the remake from 2020 that is also called The Grudge.
The Movie Review – The Grudge: A Unique Setting Amongst Remakes
Unlike The Ring or the later released Dark Water, The Grudge is not set in America, it is actually set in Japan. I liked this, while we do have Sarah Michelle Geller in the lead as Karen, the Japanese setting I think does make it seem a bit more authentic to the original movie if that makes sense.
The Curse That Consumes Everything
An American family has moved into what seems like a dream home in Japan. However, this house was the scene of a very grisly murder a few years earlier. The idea of The Grudge is that when someone dies in a violent rage or via some real tragedy, a curse is left behind and it consumes anyone that comes into contact with it.
This American family consists of Matt, his wife Jennifer, and Matt’s mother Emma who has dementia, It does not take long for things to get weird and before long the curse has consumed the family. Tragically, a young Japanese woman was looking after Emma and she has gone missing.
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Fight Against The Curse
This is where Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Kareen comes into play. Working for an agency, Karren is sent to look after Emma and also check on what happened to the other girl. Karren finds a young boy in the house, but things start to get weird pretty quickly. Karren realizes that there is something strange going on here and the curse starts to take hold of her.
Unraveling the Mystery of The Grudge
Karren figures out the history of the house and tries her best to put the curse to bed, but that is easier said than done. As I write this, I realize that explaining the premise of The Grudge is kind of hard to do, but when you are watching it and sucked into this world, it does all make sense.
The Enduring Creepiness of The Grudge
I have seen The Grudge several times and while I am sure the first time I saw it in the theatre I was shocked by some of the jump scares. When I have watched it recently, rather than being “jumpy” I find The Grudge to be a more creepy and unsettling movie. Especially that creepy Grudge sound. I used to ring my younger sister and before I would end the call, I would do the Grudge sound and she would freak out…. I am a terrible brother, what can I say!
The Grudge vs. The Ring: A Horror Comparison
Many horror movies are very predictable and I do think that these days I am more shocked if a horror movie has a happy ending and the ghost, monster, killer, or whatever doesn’t win. At the time I saw this though, I was on the edge of my seat, not knowing for sure if Karren was going to be able to put a stop to this curse!
Why The Grudge Remains a Must-Watch
I think that The Grudge is still a great movie. I know that the comparison is always this or The Ring and while I do prefer The Ring, I still love this movie. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend you watch it and do not read much about the spoiler before you do. I have seen it a few times and I am always entertained and by a mile, this is the best out of the four American Grudge movies that were made.
