Naomi Watts stars in the new film “Ring Two” playing Rachel Keller, a reporter from Seattle who experienced some frightening supernatural events, which endangered her son Aidan (David Dorfman) in the first installment, “The Ring” (2002).
Six months later, Rachel and Aidan now live in Astoria, Oregon as the plot reveals previous dangers that begin to shift while new ones come to the surface.
The plot follows the established template of the previous installment by offering “just when you think it’s over” surprises and other familiar elements.
The plot puts even more obstacles between Rachel and Aidan as they discover more about the mysterious girl Somora.
Simon Baker (TV’s “The Guardian”) plays Rachel’s co-worker Max while Sissy Spacek also stars as Evelyn.
Spacek shines in her lone scene, which is incredibly pivotal to the film’s plot.
Her disturbing warnings and prophetic rants, such as “you let the dead get in,” provide legitimate chills.
Rachel takes more risks as she investigates some mysteriously similar occurrences in the town and tries to protect Aidan. Fate and luck have more prominence than strategy and tact in this installment.
Future revelations that at first don’t make sense, tighten the plot further —- a product of great screenwriting. The script also takes more time to flesh out concepts and ideas from the original Japanese films and books.
Director Hideo Nakata (“Ringu,” “Ringu 2”) demonstrates solid technical proficiency, including a great transition to a well and a slow tracking shot of Max on the phone.
The beginning scene does make more sense if you’ve seen “The Ring” as do the top room of the barn, the mirror distortions, the lighthouse on Moesko Island, oh yeah, that fly and the burning tree.
New audiences still have a lot to discover, but this film was basically written for audiences who saw the first film and it may alienate people who didn’t.
Filmmakers could have included more flashbacks and other connective techniques to solve this issue.
For example, at the end of “The Ring,” Aidan asks Rachel, “What about the person we show it to? What happens to them?” This scene could’ve been included at the beginning, at least in audio, to make a stronger bridge between the two films.
This supernatural thriller has a lot of intriguing elements, but seasoned veterans of the thriller genre may leave the theater wanting even more scares and a bigger payoff.
Grade: B-
