The Grudge

What really attracted me to The Grudge? Was it the idea of a Japanese horror flick being given the Hollywood treatment by the same director as the original? Was it Gellar as the lead? Was it the seriously creepy teaser trailer floating about? Was it my newfound love of horror films?

Well, whatever the reason, I decided to see the kind of movie I would usually stay a thousand miles away from. I saw The Grudge. And oddly enough, I don't regret it. Sure, its been done a thousand times before, but The Grudge is a perfect example of how much fun you can have in the cinema by scaring yourself witless.

Gellar stars (although it's more of an ensemble thing) as Karen, a young exchange student in Japan volunteering for the local care centre, who is sent to look after a crazy old woman when her usual carer doesn't show up for work (ooo, I wonder?). Things soon take a turn for the worse when Karen discovers the house she entered holds a curse, that is intent on killing everyone that enters it. The killing ensues, of course, but it never feels like you're just going from one death to the next, and the lack of blood and gore makes the killings all that more tense.

Gellar leads the cast well, and Pullman lights up his scenes with his mysterious presence. Director Shimizu cleverely relies on an ensmeble cast rather than one lead holding the whole movie, and I loved how every character encounters the little kiddy. He is scary.

Of course, I'm sounding a little too positive here - this is a Hollywood horror movie, after all - how good could it be? But for the genre and considering its slightly pathetic plotline, The Grudge is very creepy, very atmospheric and sometimes very impressive. The picture above alone should be ample proof of that. And even if there are some laughable moments (such as the first scene, and the bed 'attack' - is it me, or does she simply dissapear under the sheets?) they only lend to how fun The Grudge is. My advice? Don't take it seriously, just let yourself be scared! ***1/2 out of 5.