Rings

Rings is the bridge between The Ring and The Ring 2. In the six months between the 2 films the copy of the infamous videotape made by Rachel has multiplied many times (still no explanation as to how people know they're going to die) and it's become such an urban legend that there is a website devoted to it.

Jake, the unfortunate high school kid at the start of The Ring 2, has watched the videotape in order to save the life of one of his so-called friends, thus taking on board the responsibility of making someone else watch it in 7 days or die by Samara's fright.

Initially Jake is intrigued and is offered a glimpse into the bizarre world of post-videotape viewing that we only saw thru Rachel's eyes in the first. Nothing is explained in any greater detail but the paranormal universe Jake falls into is fleshed-out more and is highly spooky. The short even manages to outdo The Ring 2 by giving us a couple of frights. I don't care how ridiculous the movies are, the image of Samara climbing out the well will ALWAYS be spooky.

Anyone who has seen The Ring 2 will already know what becomes of Jake and his would-be girlfriend Emily (the one he forces to watch the tape) but if you're a fan of the films then this is essential viewing. If you've yet to see The Ring 2 then it's the perfect introduction.

After purchasing the collector's edition for The Ring, one of my all-time favorite films, I immediately popped in the bonus disc to check out the new features. I was treated to a bunch of cool new supplements including lots of cast interviews, trailers and much more. But the real main attraction of the disc was a short film entitled "Rings", which serves as a prelude to The Ring Two. I saved the best feature for last and eventually hit the play button.

"Rings" features Ryan Merriman as Jake, a high-schooler who becomes obsessed with the videotape and its strange new following. It seems as if the infamous videotape has become a cult following, with many people watching it, seeing how long they can stand to live after watching it and then finally passing it on to the next person, who does the same. They post their experiences online at a public website. People believe that it is a window that shows us either heaven or hell, and that the experience should be cherished and not feared. However, once Jake is introduced to the tape by one of these cults, he starts to unravel as he sees strange things and experiences horrors that no one should ever have to bear. The cult that supposedly had his back and his "tail" (meaning the person who he passes the tape on to) turn their backs on him, wanting to finally have a perspective on what happens on day seven. Also appearing in this short is Emily Van Camp, who plays Jake's classmate Emily. Both Merriman and Van Camp are featured in the upcoming sequel.

This short does a great job of linking the two "Ring" films together. It is shot in a different style that works very well for it, making it both creepy and visually appealing. The script is well-done as is the direction by Jonathan Liebsman. The acting is fine as well. And just in case you were curious, Samara does make an appearance here. And just because this film is short doesn't mean it isn't scary. There are several creepy moments that echo the first film and many jump scares as well. The atmosphere also adds to the intensity.

Overall, "Rings" is an excellent short film. It makes me anticipate the sequel even more than I once was, and was surprisingly very well-made. It was interesting, entertaining and scary as hell. Plus it ends with a cliffhanger that makes waiting for the sequel even more unbearable.

This new DVD set is a must-buy for fans of the first film, as well as those who are anticipating the sequel. Get it now before the sequel comes out. You won't be disappointed.

8/10 (A-)

Seriously this SHOULD have been made into the feature length sequel the only reason I'm giving it a 7 instead of an 8 is because you have to tune into The Ring Two to see what happens to Jake and that movie sucks.

I shall be honest about this. I liked it, it was the best short movie I ever saw, as far as i am concerned. In a matter of fact, I liked this one way better than the true sequel. It's very thrilling, to watch how a teen slowly grows insane while being in the presence of Samara Morgan. It's very realistic, just like how I would see it happen in real life. It's far more realistic than The Ring. i mean, if I'd been Rachel, I would have freaked out the first day or something. Screw 'finding out what mystery lies behind the tape'. I'd lose my mind!

Sometimes I actually screamed and crushed my friend's arm. So a big bravo.

This is WAY better than the cheesy sequal. The ideas are use well in this short movie and this what could be the real sequal like it depends like it's not a movie if it's 16 minutes long. At least the story is good and the acting is convincing too. Also this is not boring like that cheesy sequal and have something to keep you watching this movie. This is my review on Rings (2005), better than the cheesy sequal but not as good as the first one.