The Grudge seems to be getting thrashed by the critics at large. I don't know. I loved The Ring, despite the incoherence of the plot. It had atmosphere and terrific cinematography and some genuine pathos. The word around is, The Grudge makes The Ring look like narrative masterpiece. Is it really that bad?

Is it really that bad?

Eff 'em. Eff 'em all. The critics, that is...

I think the mainstream critics are trashing it because they need long-winded explanations, or, I don't know.... a bunch of stuff that makes for crappy horror (if you ask me). Or they just don't like horror movies (critics usually don't).

All the small press critics I've reead *love* it. I loved the original, and from what I've heard, they're faithful enough to it that I'm sure I'll love this one (though not as much as I loved the original).

Vonnie, I strongly urge you to ignore the critics trashing it and go see it. I think it will be very good (meaning it will scare the crap out of you).

Serial:

Though, as far as narrative.... I also think the critics are too needing of narrative coherence. The Grudge does jump around a little, without warning, and they expect you to keep up. So if you are like a mainstream critic, and can't handle a movie that expects you to bring your brain along, you might not like it.

I expect you'll be able to follow along, where critics had a tougher time of it.

So if you are like a mainstream critic, and can't handle a movie that expects you to bring your brain along, you might not like it.

Sean, considering you haven't seen the film yet, perhaps you could refrain from implying that my husband (who found the film solidly mediocre) is an idiot who just couldn't follow the plot. Just a thought.

The feedback I've gotten from people who've seen it has been that it's startling, and left them very jumpy, but not that it's creepy or scary outside of that.

My preferred horror is the creepy sort, since running up behind me and yelling boo sometimes startles.

Oddly, the image that has stuck with me worst from horror movies is from a not-that-good-one -- Langoliers. Something about the fog beyond which there is nothing -- got me solidly the next few times I flew, and it always comes to mind going through the frequent fogbanks on my way to work.

Sean, considering you haven't seen the film yet, perhaps you could refrain from implying that my husband (who found the film solidly mediocre) is an idiot who just couldn't follow the plot. Just a thought.

Uh.... WHOOPS!

For what it's worth, I don't consider Fone Bone a mainstream critic (which is not meant to belittle the publication he works for, just meant to imply I hold him in higher regard than that).

But your point is taken.

But your point is taken.

Thank you.

My preferred horror is the creepy sort, since running up behind me and yelling boo sometimes startles.

This is me, as well. Things that get under your skin insidiously. I don't particularly like being startled and I dislike gore, but I love being spooked, the kind of spooked that makes me remember that particular moment in the film days, weeks afterward and do a full-body shudder.

Sounds like I'll have to go see it for myself.

The horror of the end of The Ring took a couple weeks to hit me, but when it did, it hit hard. It was just so appalling a resolution.

I liked that.

I think it's getting a bad rap, but it's not as effective and creepy as the original. They go for too many of the typical Hollywood startle/scare tricks, whereas Ju-on did a better job of showing dawning horror that wasn't so dependent on startling the audience. You knew something creepy was in the process of happening, and kept watching to see just how bad it could get.

Plus, the surfeit of American actors as the majority of the victims made it seem as if the Grudge wasn't so much against people who entered the haunted house as against rude Americans who didn't take their shoes off before entering.