Dr. Mitsuo Andô - a local pathologist - is still coming to terms with losing his son after a drowning accident, and struggles to cope with the loss. It's during this time he learns that an old med school classmate and friend - Ryûji Takayama - has recently died and he has been assigned to do the autopsy. After recovering a cryptic message from Takayama's body, Andô also starts to see visions, and it's not long before he learns of a tape that's been linked with a spate of strange deaths, including Takayama's and his ex-wife, Reiko. With the help of Takayama's student, Mai Takano, Andô starts to look more into the origin of the tape and the mysterious Sadako. Unfortunately, time becomes a factor because Andô inadvertently watches the tape and, fearing for his own life, he must find away to break the curse before it's too late.
Rasen isn't really that bad of a movie, but it is a pretty slow going film that's quite hard to get into and is actually more of a psychological drama than a horror. It definitely doesn't have the scare factor that the first film had either. I can understand why Ringu fans didn't like this one because even though it still involves the Sadako storyline, it doesn't have the same effect as Ringu.
I've not read the book, but I have read reports that Rasen follows it and Ringu 2 doesn't, so for a film to be slated for actually following the book is quite ironic.
Anyway, Rasen doesn't start off too bad but it doesn't ever really get going, and if you're looking for similar creepy moments that Ringu had then you'll be sorely disappointed. There are some well played out emotional moments, but other than that there's not much here.
In saying that, however, if I had to recommend Rasen or Ringu 2, I'd choose Rasen because Ringu 2 was aiming to be scary but failed miserably and actually passed by slower than this film.
Rasen is watchable if you can get into it from the start and stick with it but ultimately it is a bit of a disappointment.
Rasen isn't really that bad of a movie, but it is a pretty slow going film that's quite hard to get into and is actually more of a psychological drama than a horror. It definitely doesn't have the scare factor that the first film had either. I can understand why Ringu fans didn't like this one because even though it still involves the Sadako storyline, it doesn't have the same effect as Ringu.
I've not read the book, but I have read reports that Rasen follows it and Ringu 2 doesn't, so for a film to be slated for actually following the book is quite ironic.
Anyway, Rasen doesn't start off too bad but it doesn't ever really get going, and if you're looking for similar creepy moments that Ringu had then you'll be sorely disappointed. There are some well played out emotional moments, but other than that there's not much here.
In saying that, however, if I had to recommend Rasen or Ringu 2, I'd choose Rasen because Ringu 2 was aiming to be scary but failed miserably and actually passed by slower than this film.
Rasen is watchable if you can get into it from the start and stick with it but ultimately it is a bit of a disappointment.