Movie Review: Ringu 2

Ringu 2 (a.k.a Ring 2)

Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., Ring 2 Production Group, Asmik Ace Entertainment, Oz Productions, Japan, 1999.

Originally "Ringu" had a sequel "Rasen" (aka Spiral) but as it flopped its storyline was ignored and "Ringu 2" was made the canonical sequel. "Ringu 2" continues directly from the end of the "Ringu" and should not be viewed without seeing the first one as little about the previous events is explained.

Ghost girl Sadako's uncle Takashi Yamamura (Yôichi Numata) is called to identify the corpse found in the well. The autopsy reveals that Sadako somehow survived to live decades in the well. The survivors of the video curse Reiko Asakawa  (Nanako Matsushima) and her son Yôichi (Rikiya Ôtaka) have gone missing.

Takashi Yamamura

Mai Takano and Okazaki

Mai Takano (Miki Nakatani) Reiko's ex-husband Ryuji Takayama's assistant, tries to find out the answers regarding Ryuji's death with reporter named Okazaki (Yūrei Yanagi). Detective Keiji Omuta (Kenjirô Ishimaru) is investigating the mysterious deaths. Mai's visit to mental hospital to meet Masami Kurahashi (Hitomi Satô) reveals that Sadako's curse is still active. Dr. Kawajiri (Fumiyo Kohinata) is conducting paranormal experiments with Masami.

Yôichi

Paranormal photo

Mai and Dr. Kawajiri

Although the cursed tapes were destroyed a girl named Kanae Sawaguchi (Kyoko Fukada) claims to have the video. Okazaki is trying to avoid watching the video, but the curse is too powerful. Mai is trying to help Yôichi's whose paranormal skills are getting frightening.

Sadako's curse is still active

It is a worthy sequel to "Ringu" continuing the same style but adding some paranormal scifi elements. Less time is spent on the video tape than trying to decode the curse using technology. Slowly advancing creepiness is enhanced by Kenji Kawai's haunting music. It is nice that most of the cast of the first film return. However the ending is a bit unsatisfactory as the story raises more questions than answers and leaves room for sequels.

Rating: Good

Starring: Miki Nakatani, Hitomi Satô, Kyoko Fukada, Fumiyo Kohinata, Kenjirô Ishimaru, Yûrei Yanagi, Rikiya Ôtaka, Yôichi Numata, Masako, Miwako Kaji, Katsumi Muramatsu, Daisuke Ban, Rie Ino'o, Reita Serizawa, Shinmei Tsuji, Tarô Suwa, Kinto Tamura, Shirô Namiki, Takashi Nishina, Yoshiko Yura, Yôko Chôsokabe, Isao Yatsu, Mebuki Tsuchida, Kazumasa Taguchi, Satahiko Irisawa, Takahiko Tamura, Hiroyuki Asano, Kôichi Shirato, Tomo Taniguchi, Ai Ohara, Mitsuko Iwamoto, Katsue Matsushita, Kaho Yamaguchi, Hana Yamanashi, Sanae Kagaya, Yôko Ashikawa, Akeno, Utsumi, Mito, Shôko, Ayumi Tachibana, Junko Sasaki, Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kazu Nagahama

Director: Hideo Nakata