This time, the nurse gets a love interest, and there are some teasing moments of intimacy that were obviously created to satisfy American expectations of romance in just about any movie.
Video:
The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image is bright and shiny, which seems to be at odds with the subject matter. Nevertheless, this is a very impressive transfer--clean, clear, sharp, and smooth. Occasionally, scenes that take place in bright sunlight look a tad glassy (like "Spider-man 2", which is the only thing keeping the video from getting a 10.
Audio:
Generally, the Dolby Digital 5.1 English track is front-center-channel-oriented like the audio for "Ju-On: The Grudge". However, there are some nice subwoofer moments that´ll startle you, and the surrounds add to the ambient creepiness.
You can watch the movie with a DD 5.1 French dub. Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles as well as optional English closed captions support the audio.
Extras:
There´s an audio commentary by members of the cast and crew, including Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. These group commentaries are usually worthless because everyone just talks about how much fun they had or how they liked working in certain places. "A Powerful Rage" is a five-part making-of documentary that covers various aspects of the production, including the mini culture shock that some Americans felt when they went to shoot the movie in Japan. "Under the Skin" is a featurette that offers interviews with a fellow with a Ph.D.; the guy talks human responses to scary movies. Finally, there are trailers for "The Grudge" and other Sony releases.
--Miscellaneous--
This is yet another release featuring a useless insert and a cardboard slipcase that looks the same as the cover artwork.
Film Value:
"The Grudge" obviously has better production values than "Ju-On: The Grudge", and the DVD is a technically better presentation than what Lions Gate offers with "Ju-On: The Grudge". However, this movie is almost an exact re-make of its inspiration, which means that it´s ultimately as not-worth-watching as "Ju-On: The Grudge". Based on the $100-million-plus that "The Grudge" grossed in American and Canadian theatres, we can expect more of the same boring-ness in the years to come.
The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image is bright and shiny, which seems to be at odds with the subject matter. Nevertheless, this is a very impressive transfer--clean, clear, sharp, and smooth. Occasionally, scenes that take place in bright sunlight look a tad glassy (like "Spider-man 2", which is the only thing keeping the video from getting a 10.
Audio:
Generally, the Dolby Digital 5.1 English track is front-center-channel-oriented like the audio for "Ju-On: The Grudge". However, there are some nice subwoofer moments that´ll startle you, and the surrounds add to the ambient creepiness.
You can watch the movie with a DD 5.1 French dub. Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles as well as optional English closed captions support the audio.
Extras:
There´s an audio commentary by members of the cast and crew, including Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. These group commentaries are usually worthless because everyone just talks about how much fun they had or how they liked working in certain places. "A Powerful Rage" is a five-part making-of documentary that covers various aspects of the production, including the mini culture shock that some Americans felt when they went to shoot the movie in Japan. "Under the Skin" is a featurette that offers interviews with a fellow with a Ph.D.; the guy talks human responses to scary movies. Finally, there are trailers for "The Grudge" and other Sony releases.
--Miscellaneous--
This is yet another release featuring a useless insert and a cardboard slipcase that looks the same as the cover artwork.
Film Value:
"The Grudge" obviously has better production values than "Ju-On: The Grudge", and the DVD is a technically better presentation than what Lions Gate offers with "Ju-On: The Grudge". However, this movie is almost an exact re-make of its inspiration, which means that it´s ultimately as not-worth-watching as "Ju-On: The Grudge". Based on the $100-million-plus that "The Grudge" grossed in American and Canadian theatres, we can expect more of the same boring-ness in the years to come.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]14049[/release]