Ring Espiral

Spiral is direct sequel to Japanese cult horror movie Ring and both movies were released simultaneously which underlines the franchise's experimental, fresh and groundbreaking approach right from the start. While Ring has been met with critical acclaim at home and abroad, Spiral has been met with mixed to negative reviews and has almost been completely ignored abroad. As a matter of fact, an alternative sequel titled Ring 2 was hastily shot and released one year later. Spiral was criticized for its unusual scientific approach to the genre, the introduction of completely new characters and the fact that the lead character of the first film and her son die off the screen and have no significant role in this sequel.

The movie focuses on suicidal pathologist Ando Mitsuo who examines the body of his deceased colleague Takayama Ryuji. He has mysterious visions while examining the body and finds a cryptic note in his colleague's stomach. He starts investigating and soon learns about the cursed tape that his colleague watched a week before his demise. Soon enough, his colleague's ex-wife and son perish in a mysterious automobile accident. Obsessed with the case, Ando Mitsuo contacts the shady boss of the deceased investigative journalist. He also gets in touch with his colleague's former student and secret lover Takano Mai. The two solitary souls soon develop a sexual bond. They are determined to destroy all existing copies of the cursed tape. However, they soon realize that things might be more complicated than they had initially anticipated.

While Spiral wasn't met with critical acclaim, it's certainly an underestimated entry in the franchise that innovates instead of repeating patterns of its immediate predecessor. The film finds the right balance between new scientific approaches explaining the cursed tape and supernatural elements that conclude the movie on an otherworldly tone. The idea to develop the quiet student Takano Mai into the professor's secret lover and sidekick of the pathologist adds much depth to the story. The protagonist is also quite intriguing and turns out to be a haunted soul who attempts to commit suicide in the very first scene of the film which is quite shocking.

Spiral has the same gloomy atmosphere and sluggish pace as the predecessor but differs in all other departments. The scientific explanations are baffling, the suicidal protagonist is rather creepy and the supernatural conclusion seems like an antithesis to the grounded introduction. The movie experiments a lot and not all ideas might end up working out. However, Spiral deserves acclaim and attention as it pushes an already experimental horror franchise even further. The movie is filled with stunning details that justify watching it on multiple occasions. It's certainly the most creative, daring and intellectual entry in the franchise. Ignore the surprisingly negative comments and revist this forgotten gem of the Ring franchise to make up your own mind about this unusual entry.

I just want to start by saying I don't find this film anywhere near as bad as most seem to. The mistake is viewing this as a direct sequel to "Ringu", made at the same time by a different director it of course does not have the same feel, or menace as its predecessor. Since most people will watch the original first the change in tone is hard to accept. A lot of people also declare this to detach itself too far from the original and explain too much of the mystery with science. When in fact the first two Ring novels have a firm root in science. I also found "Ringu 2" to be just as guilty at favouring science over the unknown, the difference being "Rasen" does explain things thoroughly. The major disappointment here is that I never really felt anything close to fear, or even uneasiness. However in terms of drama, and expanding on the first this film succeeds. The cinematography is just stunning, and the final scene is a scene I find just as disturbing as the ending of "Ringu", not in a fear inducing way, but in a contemplative sort of way. It is also a beautiful scene, and the whole film is well shot. Unlike "Ringu" the acting is a mixed bag, Koichi Sato just about holds up, but as the lead he seems to struggle with acting with emotion, which is a minus considering his character deals with suicide. Overall I think the film should be watched, as a side-note to "Ringu" but judged on its own merits, as it certainly surpasses many scientific thrillers around.

I will say that I am certainly a fan of all the Ring films. Even at their most obscure, they give the horror genre a shot in the arm that is has needed for a LONG time. Also, the general concept behind these films (a post-Rosemary's Baby/Omen horror story) is pretty darned brilliant.

But, this. Wow. I'm just so torn. On the one hand, Rasen has some very good scenes that are missing from the other Ring films. Most notably, it doesn't shy away from human emotion. The fascinating juxtaposition of the suicidal Dr. Ando and a videotape which can kill its viewers almost passively makes for a very interesting story. Throw into the mix the sexual element (i.e., sex/death/intimacy and the relationships among them) and you have a very complex film. Rasen further shines as the story of a man who begins with the most honorable of intentions, only to find out, to his utter horror, that he has betrayed everything he thought he stood for.

BUT, on the other hand, there's the last 30 minutes or so of this film, which just left me scratching my head. Why do we need all this bizarre junk science thrown at us. What is Sadako up to? Is Ryuji a good guy or a bad guy? For that matter, why does everybody act like HE has all the answers? WILL SOMEBODY JUST STOP JABBERING FOR A MOMENT AND EXPLAIN THIS WHOLE LOOPY, HALF-BAKED PLOT FOR WORLD DOMINATION?!?!? PLEASE??!??!?

I can't reconcile any of this in my head. I know there's a way to make this movie great, and I think it involves re-writing the last half. Hey, Hollywood! Remake this one and see if it can be a little more palatable.

Filmed and released at the same time as it's predecessor "Ringu" (or "Ring", which inspired the hit American remake "The Ring"), "Rasen" (or "Spiral") is an ambitious idea. The theory behind releasing both "Ringu" and this sequel at the same time was that it would increase profits, as "Ringu" was already a successful book series and television series. However, while the 1998 release "Ringu" became an international hit, this sequel didn't sit well with people, as it is of a different tone and altogether different genre, and it wasn't as big a hit. Hence, it became the ignored, "forgotten" sequel, and was overshadowed by another sequel "Ringu 2", which was released a year later, that eliminated "Rasen" from the series continuity. (Basically, "Rasen" is to "Ringu" what "Highlander 2" is to "Highlander"- a forgotten, non-canon sequel that people ignore)

However, as the film was still made, and is easily obtainable (even in the US, where it is included with all three of the other "Ringu" films in a boxed set), I feel I should give my take, as a fan of the original film.

"Rasen" is actually not a "bad" movie, but I will say, as a sequel, it is quite misguided. I hear it follows the original novels more closely, which had more of a Sci-Fi flair to them. But as "Ringu" was changed into more-or-less a standard ghost story, this sequel's focus on the science of it was too awkward for many.

It begins soon after "Ringu"- a pathologist named Ando is called into work to perform an autopsy on Ryugi, whom as you will recall was killed in the first movie. However, during the autopsy, strange things begin to happen, and Ando is haunted by various phenomena. Eventually, he hears about the cursed video tape, and decides to watch it and solve the mystery of the vengeful being Sadako himself, with the help of Ryugi's former assistant Mai.

The film delves deep into science-fiction territory, with constant talk of viruses, cloning, etc. And without spoiling anything, the final act is very much a cautionary tale about science gone out of control. Which is why it conflicts with the ghost-story established in the first film. This is not a horror movie, this is a Sci-Fi film in the vein of "The Matrix" or "Dark City", though the battles are fought with words and not fists.

But I will say to its credit that this is still a fairly interesting film. The acting is halfway decent, the direction is alright, and even though it drags, if you can get into the Sci-Fi tone, it will keep you watching until the end.

I'd say if you're a fan of the series, check it out. It's not really a strong film, but it's worth seeing. I give it an average 6 out of 10. Not as good as "Ringu" or even "Ringu 2", but not awful, either.

I recently rewatched the third film in the Ringu series, Spiral (1998), on Tubi. The story follows a friend of the mother and child who die after watching the infamous tape. Seeking answers, he watches the tape himself, unknowingly unleashing the spirit within. As he grapples with this, his friend's spirit attempts to protect him until the curse can be broken.

Directed by Jôji Iida (Dragon Head), the film stars Kôichi Satô (When the Last Sword is Drawn), Miki Nakatani (Ringu 1 & 2), Yutaka Matsushige (Princess Blade), and Hinako Saeki (Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah).

This film offers an interesting take on the Ring universe, but it didn't quite work for me. It felt like they were trying to blend elements from Ringu and Ju-on, which didn't mesh well. The mother and child storyline has always been part of the Ringu lore, but here it's played out in a more dramatic fashion, losing the horror elements I typically enjoy in this series. While the film opens with a strong autopsy scene, that ended up being the highlight for me. The romantic subplot felt cheesy, and the "full-circle" ending failed to land as intended.

In conclusion, Spiral takes the series in a direction that had potential, but it lacked the horror elements needed to keep it engaging. I'd score it 4.5/10 and recommend skipping it.