GRUDGE 2

THE FLICK: Anyone who still believes that Sarah Michelle Gellar was the reason behind the first film’s success, please raise your hand. Good, now that we’ve kicked all the Buffy fans out of the room we can get down to the facts. People enjoy these movies for two reasons: to laugh at them or to be scared s***less by them. In the case of Takashi Shimizu’s remake of the sequel to his original film’s sequel (it’s all very confusing), you’ve got a little of both. The story is straight-ahead stupid, juggling three stories across two continents with a moderately successful twist at the end. “God-girl” Amber Tamblyn takes over for Gellar, whose death is a highlight of the first act...and sweet retribution for anyone who sat through those Scooby-Doo movies. But the curse lives on, attaching itself to a trio of Tokyo schoolgirls (someone been surfing for internet porn!) who begin to see that creepy kabuki kid and his contortionist mom everywhere. That clever choreography is Shimizu’s one true accomplishment here. Much like John Carpenter’s original Halloween, he manages to stuff the spirits into every corner of the screen – under desks, on the bus, behind a mirror, even in a public phone booth. The spooks in the Grudge films don’t wait for the cover of night to scare you, and that’s what separates the films from 99% of the other Asian horror that’s been imported to the U.S. Still, there are a few problems in the translation. Asian horror by and large doesn’t have to make sense. Perhaps it’s part of the folk tale tradition or maybe it’s just pure laziness. Whatever the reason, by contrast we American’s expect the plot to be plotted and for motivations to be...well, motivated. Shimizu skips over characterization with a blasé’ ambivalence that sets the film up for critical ridicule and a fair share of unintentional laughs. Still, when you compare apples to apples, The Grudge 2 gives you a hell of a goose for your money. THE FEATURES: One of the things I appreciated about the film was its ability to shock without resorting to gore, so perhaps it’s a good thing that I couldn’t spot much added to the Unrated Version other than a few more blood puddles here and there. Tops among the other extras is Tales from the Grudge (hosted by producer Sam Raimi in his signature suit and tie), presenting a series of short films that continue the globe-hopping supernatural hauntings. Filled with gobs of black hair and white make-up, director Toby Wilkins does a good job of emulating the parent film’s style. The Cast & Crew Reel Change Montage is nothing more than crew-members mugging for the camera next to the title slate. Not really worthy of inclusion here. The four featurettes however – Holding a Grudge, East Meets West, Storyline Development and Ready When You Are, Mr. Shimizu – do exactly what they’re supposed to do: fill you in on the director’s working style and inspirations for story ideas and casting. The Deleted Scenes this time around are quite interesting, mostly because they echo the original’s technique of non-linear storytelling. Characters appear earlier, in different order, bumping up Edison Chen’s appearance in the film considerably. There’s also a tripped out dream sequence and an alternate ending that offers some familial closure but is nowhere near as good as the clever “hoodie” trick shot already in the film.