Ring Espiral

The Japanese 'Ringu' series is one odd one. This movie is a sequel to "Ringu", while there is also another movie that is actually named "Ringu 2". Is this even an official sequel? Both movies feature as well some of the same characters and actors as from the first "Ringu" movie Both movies are sequels, while this movie is being based on the novel by Kôji Suzuki and stays close to its source material, the other sequel "Ringu 2" is more of a movie sequel to "Ringu". You either accept this movie or "Ringu 2" as its sequel, since both are a direct sequel to "Ringu" but they themselves have nothing to do with each other. Are you still following it? To make things more complicated, these movies got followed by "Ringu 0: Bâsudei", which in return is a prequel to "Ringu". And then lets not even get started about all those 'Ringu/Ring' movie versions and television series from different countries.

While "Rasen" is perhaps the better written movie, "Ringu 2" is still the better made one, in terms of directing and build-up of it all. It's also more exciting to watch horror wise. "Rasen" is the sort of movie that relies more on its 'clever' writing rather than trying to be tense or scary.

What perhaps disappointed me most about this movie was how unengaged it was to watch. I wouldn't call "Rasen" a boring movie but it also isn't exactly an exciting one either. For a horror movie it just simply gets never scary or tense. It's a more slow moving movie, that focuses more on its uninteresting characters and other uninteresting aspects. It's a story that just never takes off.

Really not the best the 'Ringu' series or Japanese horror has to offer.

5/10

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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.

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.

This film follows the Japanese version of the Ring known as Ringu. Where it follows I am not sure. The back of my box which is a collection of the Japanese Rings places it second, however the alternate title here suggests it was the fourth film. All I know is that this film is a sequel to Ringu, but a disappointing one. There are things that follow the first film, then things that are completely wrong and this one makes the mistake of trying to logically explain things and give reasons for what is happening. Kind of like the Phantasm series, the first one you wondered what the heck was going on and in the later installments they tried to explain everything and it just was not as intriguing anymore.

The story starts out with a man autopsying a former colleague who was the father in the first film. This leads to the best scene in the movie as this autopsy is rather bloody. Too bad that the highlight of the film is like less than ten minutes in. This doctor lost a son and soon stumbles upon the cursed video tape. He begins seeing things, and it is not long until he has played the video. However, things completely go off track as they start introducing a sort of virus in this one seemingly dismissing the little girl all together. And it is not even a little girl this time!

Yes, this film tries to scientifically explain things this time and it just does not work. Not for me anyway. It also changes the little girl into a woman. Maybe this was not the second installment and things were explained in the previous flicks, I only went by the order given me on the box, but I still hate the cause for all the deaths and stuff they give here.

So, what we get is a sequel that changes things around, but still has the core from the original. It may be enjoyable for some, I enjoyed it up to a point, but I certainly thought the ending was very dull. I do hope the movie titled Ringu 2 is better than this one was.

I watched this movie and i thought this movie was ok. But how ok ? I liked atmosphere, dialog and etc, but i did not like like as sequel. This is ghost story, is must be scary but it didn't.