Dark Water

The Hollywood version of 'Dark Water' is based on a Japanese horror film, which I haven't seem, so I can't really compare the two. However, whether on not it surpasses its source material, I have to say it's a pretty creepy little number.

A woman (Jennifer Connelly) is going through a divorce and custody battle for her daughter (Ariel Gade) and moves to a run-down apartment in New York until the proceedings are over. It's hardly five-star housing and there are water leaks everywhere. And, if that wasn't bad enough to bring up a child, the family is haunted by the presence of another young girl.

Since the success of the English version of 'The Ring' the 2000s saw quite a few horror films where a woman slowly uncovers something supernatural until she has to confront it head on in the final act. 'Dark Water' certainly fits into that genre, but it's definitely a cut above the rest. For a start it has a stellar cast. I've already mentioned Connolly, but there are also excellent performances from Tim Roth as a supportive (but flawed!) lawyer, Pete Postlethwaite as a useless building supervisor and John C Reilly as the superbly-slimy estate agent. Dougray Scott is also good, but doesn't have quite as much to work with as the others and Ariel Gade is very good as the young girl, never really coming across as annoying as so many child actors in similar roles.

Another thing that works for the film is the atmosphere. You really get the sense of a dark, depressing world that's ripe for haunting by unrested spirits. It could be described as a bit of a 'slow burner' as the real 'meat' of the story doesn't really get going until the final act. Prior to that is mainly character building and setting up the horror that's finally waiting for our protagonists.

I won't say too much about the story, as you only really get one chance to watch it and not know where it's going. A couple of the plot points surprised me, so I won't spoil anything. It may not be a blood-bath and it's probably got a few too many 'jump scares' for some people's liking in the opening two acts, but, overall, it's a very atmospheric, creepy little number that horror fans who like a slow build of terror should enjoy.

What Dark Water lacks in thrills, it does make up for in mood and wonderful performances, especially from Jennifer Connelly as the stressed out single mother trying to keep her wits about her after learning her apartment is haunted by a child's ghost. Expect less of a horror film and more of a drama and you'll be in the right headspace.

Dark Water is another one of those slow PG-13, atmospheric and creepy ghost stories in the vein of The Ring and the Grudge, and like those two, it is worthwhile.

The film certainly has flaws, but it is also clever and has some great drama. Jennifer Connely also gives a strong performance, and the film as a whole is probably slower than someone would think. While it is not as scary as The Ring or The Grudge, it is in a way more mature than those two because it does excel in genres other than as a thriller. Overall, it was not amazing, but certainly underrated at this time and certainly worth it.

This is a Remake of the 2002 Japanese Horror Movie. The plot is pretty simple , a mother who is fighting custody over her daughter moves with her to a new apartment. The people in the building are strange, there's are leakage in their room and her daughter finds an imaginary friend soon....

The good aspects of the film is that it doesn't have any CGI ghosts or any evil looking spirits and yet it has an creepy feeling throughout. It is slow moving yet engaging. We have real middle class people with real problems which gives it more of a human drama than a typical horror stuff. Performances are good . There's more emotional connect than scary scenes. However the film could have been short, some scenes are absolutely no need especially the dream sequences are very unnecessary. There's not much to complain about ....it not an awesome film but it's pretty good for what it is and what it tries to be and is definitely an underrated horror drama .... Definitely worth a watch...

After separation her husband (Dougray Scott) and taking custody her daughter (Ariel) , Dahlia (Jennifer Connelly , though Jennifer Love Hewitt turned down this role) attempts to do a new start . The apartment she moves alongside her daughter seems perfect at first . Dahlia carries her daughter to nearly school where the teacher (Camyn Manheim) teaches her and she , subsequently , hires a lawyer (Tim Roth) for the divorce . Soon , though , weird things start happening into house . Huge water stains appear on the ceiling and drip constantly , more water and oozing liquid into the rooms everyday . She calls the doorkeeper (Pete Postlehwaite) and the landlord (John C. Reilly) but they refuse to make anything about it . A child's red bag shows up in odd places and soon the child herself starts appearing and causing usual poltergeists phenomenon recreated with high grade special effects . Dahlia then discovers the origin of the specter .

This new version of Hideo Nakata film is plenty of screams , fear , suspense , thriller and results to be quite entertaining . The terror moments are delivered compactly and quietly with no fuss . The script copies exactly the Japan original movie without surprises . While the look is suitable atmospheric and eerie , the plot stretches plausibility to the breaking point . Nice acting by Jennifer Connelly , she turned down the role of Paige in ¨House of wax¨ (2005) , another horror remake , in order to appear in this one . Colorful cinematography by Alfonso Beato , usual cameraman of Salles , and creepy musical score fitting to horror movie by Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks) . The motion picture was well realized by Walter Salles , in spite of little originality . Salles is the number one producer (City of God , Lower city) and director (Motorcycle diaries , Central Station , Behind the sun) from Brasil and recently making an American career . The flick will appeal to terror cinema buffs, well worth seeing.