All's not well with 'The Ring Two'
FANS OF "The Ring" will have to lower expectations for "The Ring Two," a sequel that goes to the well once too often.There is much rehashing, and it starts in the first scene. Two generic, disposable teens watch the deadly video, water seeps in everywhere, something horrible appears and pretty soon you've got a corpse with a face contorted in fear, a catatonic witness, the whole deal.
FANS OF "The Ring" will have to lower expectations for "The Ring Two," a sequel that goes to the well once too often.
There is much rehashing, and it starts in the first scene. Two generic, disposable teens watch the deadly video, water seeps in everywhere, something horrible appears and pretty soon you've got a corpse with a face contorted in fear, a catatonic witness, the whole deal.
All of it takes place in the small Pacific Northwest town where Rachel (Naomi Watts) has fled with her son (David Dorfman) to find peace after their "Ring" run-in with the vengeful ghost Samara.
Somehow she's gotten back in the ghost game and tracked them down, and Rachel's chasing yet another VHS hoping to destroy it and get rid of her. This is repetitive and also kind of primitive. Seriously, isn't the whole VCR angle a little last-century?
And isn't Rachel's strategy - tape burning - also dated? There is after all only one Samara, and her time is limited. You record the image in digital format, make a file, then post it on the Web (or spam it) so a billion people see it. Samara would need support staff to keep up with demand.
"We've got 70 downloads in Galveston, Samara."
"But I'm booked in Toledo!"
She's bound to pack it in at some point. Especially since, as we learn in the sequel, she's not all bad. Just unloved.
"The Ring Two" has Rachel uncovering still more backstory for Samara, who was found to be an abused child in the original. This time, Rachel traces the roots of the girl's adoption, which leads to a mental hospital and a Sissy Spacek cameo and yes, with her pale skin and dyed-black hair, she looks just like Michael Jackson.
It's a time-sensitive investigation, since Samara has possessed Rachel's son, imbuing him for the first time with a personality but also transforming him into the kind of "Omen"-esque boy who can persuade a child-services psychiatrist to poke herself with a syringe.
Rachel hopes details of Samara's past will provide the road map for a possible exorcism. They do, leading to an Andrea Yates finale that stuck me as way more tacky than frightening.
"The Ring Two" cranks out only intermittent scares. The best bit involves a herd of deer on a picturesque highway attacking a Volkswagen they sense contains Samara. It's like a "Drivers Wanted" commercial gone horribly wrong.
Those who track career fortunes might also be terrified at what's happened to Simon Baker, TV heartthrob of "The Guardian." He plays Rachel's boss here, the kind of helpful guy who shows up to help baby-sit possessed children.
It's a treacherously short step from canceled show to supporting role in a horror sequel, sitting in a pick-up truck, head leaning on the steering wheel, face contorted in fear.
Could have been Samara, could have been his call sheet. *
REVIEW C
THE RING TWO
Parents' guide: PG-13,
disturbing images
Running time: 109 minutes
Playing at: Area theaters
Rachel: Naomi Watts
Aiden: David Dortman
Mark: Simon Baker
Evelyn: Sissy Spacek
Produced by Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald, directed by Hideo Nakata, written by Ehren Kruger, music by Hanz Zimmer, Henning Lohner, Martin Tillman, distributed by Dream Works.