Freeeky Friday: Ju-On Review

The Japanese have done it again, folks. After the original Ringu and Dark Water, not many films managed to creep me out like Ju-on did last night. After the general crappines of Kakashi and Ring 2, last night was a welcome surprise. There's just something about Japanese horror in general that just strikes a chord in me, and amplifies the fears I've always had but never talked about..but I digress. Back to the review.

Ju-On (The Grudge) is actually a theatrical release of a made for TV movie of the same name released earlier in Japan. Due to its success, it spawned a series of sequels (including a second cinema outing) and is reportedly still going strong. The title refers to a haunting attached to a specific time or place, caused by spirits of people who have died horribly. This is explained in the opening expository crawl. The version I saw had Indonesian subtitles, but they were surprisingly accurate and managed to convey the meaning of the dialogue effectively. In Ju-on, director Takashi Shimizu manages to take the concept of the haunted house story to a new level, in which he introduces what may be the male counterpart of Ringu's Sadako: the boy Toshio. The story itself is told in short vignettes that jump about in time, in a very creative yet effective manner. Shimizu ignores the usual narrative flow in favour of a more surreal, almost Memento like convention. And it works. Fans of Dark Water, rejoice. Plenty of elevator, toilet, television and bedroom scares here.

In the film, a social worker, Rika is entrusted with the duty of visiting a house and checking up on the occupants. When she gets there, she finds the house in a mess, and an insensible old woman lying helpless, surrounded by her own waste. The woman doesn't seem to respond to her questions, so Rika cleans up the house and gets the lady to rest. As she's cleaning, Rika hears a sound coming from one of the upstairs rooms and finds a boy duct taped inside a closet, his face and body covered with cuts. She learns that his name is Toshio, and that his parents are missing. Concerned, she makes a report to the welfare agency and continues her work. That is, until she checks in with the old woman only to see something....

From that point, the story takes us on an eerie, jagged and scary journey as we uncover the secrets of the Saeki house and its ghostly occupants. We learn of its bloody history, and the gruesome ways it takes its victims. The ghosts of Ju-on are malevolent, and they don't spare anyone. Ever had a scary dream that made you hide under the covers? After watching Ju-on, you'll never think of hiding there again. Felt alone and scared at home and switched on the TV to make you feel better? Ju-on'll show you that it doesn't help. And these are only two of the many ways the movie will freak you out..I'm also happy to report that while there are many cats in this movie, not one of them jumps out of the closet, or gets thrown into the protagonists' lap, thus saving Ju-On from the Spectacle of The Jumping Cat. The director makes the most of his actors, and thanks to a good script, they don't behave TOO predictably. Of course, they still go up creaking, creepy stairs alone to check out a sound, or go to a quiet toilet in a deserted office building. But still, they're clever enough to call the Police when faced with a dead body and throw a phone away when it starts making freaky noises. The characters in Ju-on are more believable, in a fashion..and this further elevates it from being just another horror flick with a high body count.

Which brings me to another good point. Lots of people die in this film, but Shimizu wisely tantalises us with only glimpses of the victims' gory fate. There is hardly any physical violence, which leaves the audience to imagine what gruesome deaths the victims suffer. As usual, moderation works best, unlike some Western hororr outings that insist on showing exactly what happens. There are sometimes weird jump cuts that made me think the editing was faulty, but I realised later that it was all intentional.

Of course, the film DOES have its drawbacks. Shimizu works very well when there's an implied presence, and the sight of Toshio and Kayako (his ghostly mother) full on often detracts from the overall effect. Some people may also find his storytelling style distracting and confusing. Nevertheless, there's enough good stuff in here to make it worth a watch (or even two)..and I can't wait to get my grubby hands on the sequel.The cinematography lends itself very well to the movie, with brief glimpses and flickers that remind me of Brad Pitt flashing on and off in The Fight Club. Shimizu knows what works, and there are plenty of scares that use the set-pieces wisely, even where there ARE no shadows.

The audio is also spot on, with creaking, ominous rumbles and the characteristic sound he uses to signal the entities' presence. Music is used sparingly, but to good effect. With these elements in place, Shimizu is assured of a place in any horror buff's collection, right next to Ringu, Audition and Uzumaki. All in all, Ju-on is a solid entry in the Japanese horror genre, and I can only hope the sequels make it here as well.

The Ox gives Ju-On a 4 out of 5.