Nozokime

Another one of those horror stories where humans have little to do against the supernatural, "The Stare" goes through all the well trodden steps, but the little energy put into the affair highlights its non-existent originality.

Ayano, who works in a TV station, gets curious after a man dies outside his apartment. His death is very strange, and some things doesn't seem to add up. Ayano decides to investigate, and, of course, discovers that something that she should not have gotten entangled with is happening. Cue too much talcum powdered characters, creepy music and characters crawling backwards from the supernatural.

It is difficult to be original, especially in a subgenre as overdone as this one, the creepy (in this case child) supernatural being that goes around killing people for the sake of it (yes, they are lonely...). However, "The Stare" doesn't even try, and just follows the guidebook from the first moment till the end. The production and direction are good enough to make things acceptable, as are the locations. However, someone in the make-up department decided to put too much make up on Ayane's Tomomi Itano (or maybe is the lightning) because she seems to be shining all through the movie. If Itano did a great job, being as she is almost in every frame, it will improve the movie, but she seems just capable of two expressions: blank and mildly confused (which she brings up every time something scary happens).

Poor acting and zero originality are too high obstacles for the movie to overcome. On the upside it is easy to watch, and not very long.