The remake of this film is, in my opinion, the worst Japanese American remake of a horror film. It takes a thought provoking plot, with a slow-moving philosophical pace, and makes it nothing but a silly illogical kind of mystery movie, it cannot be taken seriously. The original "Kairo" on the other hand has a unique depressing, ominous, and foreboding atmosphere. It also had a pretty unique story for l it's time, and explored many existential themes, theirs still really nothing like it. Essentially straddling the line between loneliness, depression, and death. This is more than just your average how horror, and it's got a lot on its mind.
This movie foresaw the disconnect of the social media age, and the intense loneliness a lot of people, especially teenagers feel. This isn't a spoiler, but the movie is about the isolation we feel in life, particularly in regards to the Internet and technology. The way People it's with each other, it's like theirs almost an extreme disinterest, People talk to either, but are they really taking to each other? People see others doing really weird things like covering their doorways in red tape, but they don't seem alarmed or interested as to why. When People do react to things strange to them, they view it with an almost childlike naive curiosity and react in a childlike way, almost like poking a cobra because they thinks it's funny. This is such a fantastic analogy of how people view things through screens, we see it, but it's not real too us, and we have no real connection to it, it's just there.
In the 2020's, it is easy to take for granted that in 2001 this was a pretty forward thinking concept, again this was made before most people were on computers or before social media even existed. It definitely predicted the disconnect created by social media, and the ever prevent loneliness of those who interct through a screen rather than through real face to face interactions. I have watched this movie 3x's, the first was 2009, and it's still extremely effective on the 3rd watch 14yrs later. If you're expecting a really scary movie, you might be disappointment, it isn't. It is a creep fest that may or may not get under your skin, but the film is belied by a deep sense of the foreboding that never leaves and you never feel safe. This film is filled with philosophical musings such as "death is eternal loneliness". It's not an optimistic film. It is bleak from beginning to end, and it never be let's up. It's extremely depressing. This is something that will stick with some people. I often think about it. The dead leaving a stain essentially, it's very unique, one thing that did carry over to the remake that was good. This is an underrated film, it predates the film version of ringu, and honestly "Kairo" is a superior film in every possible way. This is a phenomenal movie, but it is not for the impatient, and it's easy to see went so many find it boring.
I recommend this film to patient folk that enjoy slow burn films.
This movie foresaw the disconnect of the social media age, and the intense loneliness a lot of people, especially teenagers feel. This isn't a spoiler, but the movie is about the isolation we feel in life, particularly in regards to the Internet and technology. The way People it's with each other, it's like theirs almost an extreme disinterest, People talk to either, but are they really taking to each other? People see others doing really weird things like covering their doorways in red tape, but they don't seem alarmed or interested as to why. When People do react to things strange to them, they view it with an almost childlike naive curiosity and react in a childlike way, almost like poking a cobra because they thinks it's funny. This is such a fantastic analogy of how people view things through screens, we see it, but it's not real too us, and we have no real connection to it, it's just there.
In the 2020's, it is easy to take for granted that in 2001 this was a pretty forward thinking concept, again this was made before most people were on computers or before social media even existed. It definitely predicted the disconnect created by social media, and the ever prevent loneliness of those who interct through a screen rather than through real face to face interactions. I have watched this movie 3x's, the first was 2009, and it's still extremely effective on the 3rd watch 14yrs later. If you're expecting a really scary movie, you might be disappointment, it isn't. It is a creep fest that may or may not get under your skin, but the film is belied by a deep sense of the foreboding that never leaves and you never feel safe. This film is filled with philosophical musings such as "death is eternal loneliness". It's not an optimistic film. It is bleak from beginning to end, and it never be let's up. It's extremely depressing. This is something that will stick with some people. I often think about it. The dead leaving a stain essentially, it's very unique, one thing that did carry over to the remake that was good. This is an underrated film, it predates the film version of ringu, and honestly "Kairo" is a superior film in every possible way. This is a phenomenal movie, but it is not for the impatient, and it's easy to see went so many find it boring.
I recommend this film to patient folk that enjoy slow burn films.