This is actually the THIRD film in the four-film Ju-on series, though it's the first theatrical release. It helps to watch the two preceding direct-to-video releases first, since those establish the origin of the curse effectively. Also, without seeing these prequels, the plot of this one can probably seem kind of meandering.
Shot on an extremely low budget, Ju-on doesn't have the cash to spend on elaborate special make-up effects or over-the-top set pieces (and the few times these movies do try to use FX, it tends to look pretty cheap). But to compensate for that, director Takashi Shimizu has crafted a story that generates scares through atmosphere, mood and lighting. There aren't that many "jump" scenes in the movie, though there are a couple of good ones; mostly, what Shimizu does is create a lingering sense of unease that can be very disturbing if you catch it in the right mood.
So, if you liked The Others, you'll go for Ju-on. On the other hand, if you're a Freddy and Jason fan, looking for the usual bombastic, loud body-count sort of horror, you'll hate it.
I happen to prefer moody horror, and I think it's more effective to scare people that way than just by throwing tubs of gore and CGI effects in your face. But I think most Americans have been conditioned to expect their horror movies to be very MTV-ish in style, and so this movie may just be too foreign for most U.S. viewers.
7/10
Shot on an extremely low budget, Ju-on doesn't have the cash to spend on elaborate special make-up effects or over-the-top set pieces (and the few times these movies do try to use FX, it tends to look pretty cheap). But to compensate for that, director Takashi Shimizu has crafted a story that generates scares through atmosphere, mood and lighting. There aren't that many "jump" scenes in the movie, though there are a couple of good ones; mostly, what Shimizu does is create a lingering sense of unease that can be very disturbing if you catch it in the right mood.
So, if you liked The Others, you'll go for Ju-on. On the other hand, if you're a Freddy and Jason fan, looking for the usual bombastic, loud body-count sort of horror, you'll hate it.
I happen to prefer moody horror, and I think it's more effective to scare people that way than just by throwing tubs of gore and CGI effects in your face. But I think most Americans have been conditioned to expect their horror movies to be very MTV-ish in style, and so this movie may just be too foreign for most U.S. viewers.
7/10