The Ring was one of those Japanese horror sensations that took the world by storm, everyone was watching this film back when it came out and people were absolutely loving it. The Western remake of the film brought new life to it, making people fall in love with the dramatic and Westernized version of Samara’s story. However, if there is one thing that Hollywood is known for, it’s that they love to milk their franchises, and just like that, The Ring Two was born.
A film so devoid of passion, that people often forget that it even exists.
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The Movie Review
Just like there was no need to make another film in the Ring franchise, the story here also suffers from excessive pointlessness. Rachel Keller returns to face the wrath of the evil spirit Samara, who once again haunts the world through the deadly videotape. She realizes that the demoness is back with a vengeance. Samara has evolved from a haunted VHS tape to an unstoppable force of terror that preys on her son, Aidan and threatens to consume him completely.
Like a ghostly game of tag, Samara stalks her prey by haunting them with images of death and destruction that are as ominous as they are terrifying. Rachel is no chicken when it comes to fighting the supernatural, though. Armed with her motherly instincts and a flashlight, she dives headfirst into the horror, determined to protect her son from Samara’s wrath.
The plot feels like it is wandering aimlessly, without any real sense of purpose or momentum. Rather than developing the story and building tension, the film relies on the audience’s familiarity with the first film, assuming that viewers will fill in the gaps themselves.
The characters in the film are poorly developed, with flat and uninteresting personalities that lack depth. There was no emotional connection between me and the characters, which made it difficult to invest in their fate or feel any real sense of tension or fear. The dialogue is often clunky and unnatural, taking even more immersion out of the story, and what is a horror film without immersion?
The psychological horror that made the first film so effective is notably absent in The Ring Two. Instead, the movie relies on cheap jump scares and predictable horror tropes, failing to develop any real sense of tension or dread. There is no exploration of the deeper themes that made the first film so memorable, such as the nature of fear and the consequences of obsession.
The direction in The Ring Two is notably lackluster, failing to create a genuinely creepy atmosphere or memorable scares.
The performances in the movie are wooden and lacking in emotion. Naomi Watts is a talented actor, but her character in The Ring Two is poorly written and doesn’t allow her to shine. David Dorfman’s character has become irritating rather than sympathetic, and his performance fails to generate any real empathy from the audience. The supporting cast is forgettable, with no one standing out as particularly memorable or interesting.
The film lacked any distinct style or tone that might set it apart from other horror films. The cinematography is competent but ultimately uninteresting, failing to capture the eerie atmosphere that horror fans crave. It feels like the filmmakers went through the motions, failing to add any real flair or artistry to the visuals.
The horror quality is nonexistent, with no real sense of dread or terror conveyed through the visuals. The lack of creativity in the visuals left me feeling rather stunned at how bland it all was. Not to mention the obvious, but the music in the film was completely forgettable too, with no clear indication of why it was even used in the film if it would be so bland.
Verdict
After a disappointing and lackluster sequel like The Ring Two (2005), it’s clear that Hollywood needs to stop desecrating intellectual property and forcefully churning out sequels that fail to capture the magic of the original. The Ring Two serves as a prime example of what happens when creativity takes a back seat to the pursuit of profits. The movie feels like a cash grab and it simply hurts to watch.
