Chakushin ari 2

Chakushin ari 2 is a worthy addition to the One Missed Call franchise. It has a strong sense of narrative that drives the film, with enough twists to thwart the viewer when he thinks he already sees what's to come next. Certain scenes offer up subtle but truthful commentaries regarding man's mediated communication through technology, man's mediated relationships, and the obvious message of the first--abuse spawns more abuse.

This sequel is as good as the first in its attempt to create a world all too real and similar to our own yet with its own quirks and rules that gives possible space for the supernatural narrative. There may be times when the film lags with certain scenes that stay too long on screen but the general idea is one worth watching, not to mention the killer ending! :)

The strangest thing about this movie is that even though all of the characters are speaking Japanese, the whole affair feels like an American remake of a Japanese horror film.

The first One Missed Call was quite the rip-off of the current flavor of the month, when it comes to Japanese-style horror films. Fortunately, it had the talented Takahashi Miike at the helm, therefore even though it didn't really offer the viewer anything new, it still had that Miike flare to it that made all the difference.

One Missed Call 2, is brought to us without Miike and it is apparent to us from start to finish. And we end up with a bland rehashing of old themes, average acting, and nothing special in the dialogue department. Admittedly it is still scary at times, still no where as near as its predecessors of the genre. And the ghost story behind it all is not as compelling either.

One Missed Call 2 is not a waste of money, however, and can still entertain you if you are a big fan of the Japanese horror genre, or even of horror films in general.

This is a nice follow up to the original (One Missed Call, 2003). It's not a rehash of the original film, but it builds on the story by introducing new perspectives on the mysterious process by which the killer telephone calls are made. There are some quite atmospheric scenes and a nice mystery for the characters to solve. I liked some of the acting, too. However, some elements of the plot are a little bit nonsensical. Something to mention... I watched the deleted scenes on the DVD and the director's interview about those deleted scenes. The director said he removed those scenes from the movie in order to improve the pacing. However, the deleted scenes improve the story, containing important information that explains the background (including an intriguing tale, told by an old woman, of how she saw the same thing in her youth, but with handwritten letters rather than phones!). In other words, the deleted scenes enrich the story and render the story more understandable. So, if you watch these on DVD, be sure to check out the deleted scenes afterwards.

I tend to like Japanese horror, whether is it a gory slasher, or just a creepy film like this one. I prefer the characters over the WB actors they use in Hollywood remakes.

There were some really good actors in the film: Mimura as Kyoko Okudera, Yû Yoshizawa as Naoto Sakurai, and Asaka Seto as Takako Nozoe.

It was a little hard to follow all the characters, but it still was scary and well worth watching.

It may have been better to see Takashi Miike's first part of this to have a better understanding, but it is not necessary to enjoy the movie.

Japanese horror, like any other cinema industry, has it's duds. Ju-on the Curse 2 (TV), Dead Waves, Gozu, Shikoku, and the entire Tomie series qualify as disappointments, just to name a few. As a fan of East Asian horror, I demand good entertainment by the industry, and have no problem lambasting a crappy movie when I see one. Fortunately, One Missed Call 2 is not an utter disappointment, as some on IMDb have claimed. Unlike my other comments, this review will be short and sweet.

The storyline is more complex and intricate than the original. Multiple supernatural elements and threats are introduced and the structure of the plot is more like a mystery, which keeps the viewer off balance and engaged at the same time. I actually needed a pad and pen to jot down notes because there was a lot of relationships and events to keep track of. If anything else, One Missed Call 2 is not easily predictable, and that is a good thing. Also, the technical quality is solid. Good cinematography, acting, and lighting.

One negative is that the movie drags a bit in the middle and is not quite as scary as the original. The filmmakers should have added one or two entertaining kills during the middle half hour. That would have made this one as good as the original. In it's current state, however, it is less entertaining to a degree – but still entertaining nonetheless.

I can't see how people can complain about One Missed Call 2 when they are constantly peppered by the sheer idiocy and low quality tripe dished out by Hollywood. Sure, this film is not as good as Kairo or as original as Tetsuo, but it's MUCH better than Hostel, Silent Hill, The Hills Have Eyes, or The Devil's Rejects, just to name a few.

So if you liked the first one, give this one a try. Remember, even the most formulaic horror films from Japan are still better than your average American slasher.