THE GRUDGE 2

I’m not going to go into any great detail concerning The Grudge 2’s synopsis or plot. To do so would not only waste space on your computer screen but also your valuable time. All you need to know is this; The Grudge 2 is simply a retelling and a repeat of the events that took place in the first film.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “What a surprise! It’s a horror film”, but The Grudge 2 takes the horror genre formula film and drags it down to an even lower level.

When a sequel removes the need, or desire, to see the original that birthed it there is something terribly wrong with the filmmakers responsible for bringing the film to the big screen.

The Grudge 2 recaps not only the events of the original film via flashbacks but also the events that inspired the original. As a result, the whole thing becomes a waste of time and an exercise in patience.

The gargling ghost child and his long-haired mother are out for vengeance once again but their motives for attacking and making people wee in their pants (this does happen) are not explained. The first film is about a curse that manifests itself as a result of great hatred.

Using the word ‘curse’ implies that someone must have done something to or angered someone in order to draw the wrath of that person. In The Grudge 2, however, there seems to be no such rule in place. There is no cause and effect, with the mother and son duo simply doing what they want, when they want.

Japanese director Takashi Shimizu, the creator of the original series, rather than recycle the story of Ju-On 2 (the Japanese version of The Grudge 2) has gone with an entirely new plotline scripted by Stephen Susco. Some new things are tried but they don’t work.

The script introduces a parallel – American – story that runs alongside the rehashed Japanese story. I must admit that this change in scenery was refreshing to a certain degree but it does nothing more than convolute and confuse the film. Fading in and out from Japan to America serves no other purpose than to bring the franchise Stateside in order to eliminate production costs for another sequel, which has already been announced.

In the tradition of most horror sequels The Grudge 2 wrecks what the original established by offering nothing absolutely new; wasting your time and money. Avoid it.