Movie Review: Ju-on: The Grudge 2

Ju-on: The Grudge 2 (Ju-on 2: Gekijô-ban) a.k.a Ju-on 2 a.k.a The Grudge 2

Pioneer LDC, Nikkatsu, Oz Company, Xanadeux, Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co.,Aozora Investments, Tokyo Theatres K.K., Japan, 2003.

Like the previous Ju-on films this one is also divided into six segments.

Horror actress Kyoko Harase (Noriko Sakai) and her fiancé Masashi Ishikura (Ayumu Saitô) drive over a cat. They see a glimpse of Toshio's ghost (Yuya Ozeki) they crash. Kyoko gets a miscarriage and Masashi falls into coma.

Kyoko Harase

Kyoko:

In hospital Kyoko sees Toshio again. Later she continues filming a movie but one of the extras senses something terrible about Kyoko. Kyoko finds out that she is still pregnant. Ghosts kill her mother Aki (Kaoru Mizuki).

Kyoko and Aki

Tomoka:

Before the car accident Tomoka Miura (Chiharu Niiyama) was hostess of TV show. Director Keisuke Ôkuni (Shingo Katsurayama), host Tomoka Miura, and hair stylist Megumi Obayashi (Emi Yamamoto) plan to make an episode of paranormal reality show with Kyoko in the infamous Saeki house. Tomoko's boyfriend Noritaka Yamashita (Kei Horie) gets an eerie phone call from Kayako's ghost (Takako Fuji).

Keisuke briefs the crew

Megumi and Tomoka

Megumi:

Film crew goes to film the show. Sound technician hears a weird sound. Megumi senses that Kyoko is pregnant and gives her a good luck charm. Toshio becomes interested in Kyoko. Megumi combs some wigs.

Filming the show

Megumi and the wigs

Keisuke:

After Kyoko's mother's death Masashi wakes up from coma but he is mute. Keisuke tells that everyone involved with the filming of the episode have died or disappeared. Kyoko acquires Kayako's diary. In the Saeki house Chiharu (Yui Ichikawa) who was seen briefly in the previous film is trying to escape the ghosts.

Chiharu

Chiharu:

Chiharu has nightmares about the haunted house. Her friend Hiromi (Erika Kuroishi) tells that a  horror movie production is searching for extras. It was the same movie that was filmed in the Kyoko segment. Chiharu's spirit seems to be trapped in distorted time loop.

Filming the movie

Toshio

Kayako:

Keisuke sees Hiromi trying to save Chiharu from the house. Keisuke finds Kyoko fainted in the house and takes her to hospital. Kyoko's baby girl is born.

Structurally this is a bit different than the previous Ju-on films with more clearly intertwined events and characters. Shimizu seems to reference some American horror movies. There is a "Scream 3" style meta-level subplot about filming a Ju-on style horror movie. The pregnancy theme is like "Rosemary's Baby." The segment of Chiharu seems to be a homage to "Nightmare on Elm Street." Also the movie remembers its direct to video roots, as the TV-show recordings and Chiharu's segment use cheap video quality. This is scarier than the previous "Ju-on: The Grudge." Now the evil ghosts for the first time seem to have a plan. Still their motives are still in the dark, the ghosts being malevolent almost Lovecraftian spirits spreading death and chaos. There are slightly more special effects than in the previosu films, but they are not overblown and fit the creepy minimalistic style of the he film series. The ending is kind of nod to "The Omen." This film ended the first Ju-on film cycle, as the American versions are remakes (of sorts) and later Japanese movies are reboots of the story.

Rating: Good

Starring: Noriko Sakai, Chiharu Niiyama, Kei Horie, Yui Ichikawa, Ayumu Saitô, Emi Yamamoto, Erika Kuroishi, Kaoru Mizuki, Shinobu Yûki, Takako Fuji, Yuya Ozeki, Shingo Katsurayama, Fumika Hidejima, Hidetoshi Kageyama, Hiroko Toda, Ziko Uchiyama, Hidekazu Mashima, Yukizumi Itô, Yasuhi Nakamura, Kenji Yamagami, Toshiaki Tanabe, Satoru Jitsunashi, Chika Nojima, Mio Kagawa, Naruki Matsukawa, Yuu Kamata, Sakura Kamata, Kôjun Itô

Director: Takashi Shimizu