The Grudge 3

I really liked the Japanese films (Ju-on and Ju-on 2), while the American remake was decent enough and it's sequel while I wasn't that taken by it still it had its moments. The latter two films received cinema releases where the remake was a big hit, but the second sequel (The Grudge 3) would see it hit the straight to DVD market. Watching you can see why. However that's not a bad thing, as I was actually surprised by it. It could've been worse. In some ways I prefer it over "The Grudge 2", but there's no doubts the story keeps within the same grounds of the first two films --- similar investigations, story progression, imagery and scares. We've seen it before, but there's one or two fresh developments regarding Kayako and another is its supposedly set entirely in America (except for one brief shot in Tokyo).

The third film continues on from the events of the last film where the curse was affecting an American family in a dingy apartment building. The sole survivor of the massacre a young boy is hospitalised, but is tortured by visions of the vengeful spirits Kayako and Toshio. Soon his fate is stamped, and now another family (an older brother and his two sisters) in the apartment find themselves in the path of these vengeful spirits. However there's a mysterious lady that has come Tokyo and moved in to the apartment to hopefully put a stop to this curse.

Very standard, but acceptable retread. The budget is considerably lower; as the make-up FX and special effects go on to show it. The ghosts and the jerky movements this time just seemed to lack that menacing and unnerving edge they once held, due to over-used make-up and too well lit scenes where they would creep up in. However the shuddery music score and sound FX is effectively skin-crawling and the air is dripping with a glum atmosphere of dread. Although the chills and tension falls on the uneven side, as some moments work while others fall a long way short. The problem might lie in that at times it was trying to be subtle, but then chooses to be blatant in its acts. Some stages felt bland (just like the second film) and the script is rather shallow, but the pacing seemed better handled. Compared to the other films, it goes against the grain with a linear storyline but remains just as slow-grinding with it growing darker the further along it went. As if there's no real escaping this stinging threat, as fate has a shocking twist or two waiting. The performances are able enough with the likes of Matthew Knight, Emi Ikehata, Johanna Braddy, Jadie Hobson and Shawnee Smith.