6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The mystery of the cursed videotape continues in this bone-chilling sequel to RINGU. While investigating the horrifying death of her boyfriend, Mai Takano (Miki Nakatani) learns about a videotape haunted by the spirit of a disturbing girl named Sadako, which kills anyone who watches it exactly one week later. When her boyfriend's son, Yoichi (Rikiya Otaka), starts to develop the same psychic abilities as Sadako, Takano must find a way to keep the boy and herself from becoming the next victims.
Starring: Miki Nakatani, Hitomi Satô, Kyôko Fukada, Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki SanadaHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 76% |
Supernatural | 28% |
Mystery | 24% |
Thriller | 18% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Japanese: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Note: This film is available as part of Ringu
Collection.
J-Horror.
What do you think of when someone mentions this “national” genre? If you’re like any number of fans, and as both commentator David
Kalat and even the back cover verbiage of Ringu mention, the
Ring* series will no doubt be at the top of the list. Interestingly, the
back cover
states that the original Ring film “launched the J-horror boom in the West”, though Kalat takes at least some issue with that assertion in
his
appealing
analysis of the film. Kind of interestingly (and maybe just a bit peculiarly) given this series' outsized reputation, none of the Ring films
has
evidently been released on Blu-ray for the domestic American market before this, but Arrow, long the curator of niche items for some devoted
collectors, has once again come to the rescue with both a standalone release of Ring, as well as a boxed set including four films.
*Kalat makes a cogent case that the coinage Ringu is due to the transliteration of Japanese orthography, and that the film's director
himself
told Kalat the name of the original film was Ring, so references to that film in particular and the series in general will use that version of
the
title.
That said, the discs in this set sport the Ringu versions of the titles, and so links to films and/or reviews will show that version. Similarly,
Spiral is listed with that title on its disc (as opposed to Rasen), so that title will also be used. Confused
yet?
Ring 2 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. While Ringu was granted a complete restoration replete with a new 4K scan of its original 35mm negative, it appears from the verbiage inside the pamphlet sized booklet included in this set that none of the other three films in this release were accorded the same treatment. In fact, all three are lumped together with the following brief explanatory verbiage:
Spiral, Ringu 2 and Ringu 0 are presented in their original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 5.1 and 2.0 stereo sound. The High Definition masters were provided by Kadokawa Corporation.While this transfer doesn't boast the same generally excellent detail levels of Ringu, it still looks manifestly better than the old DVD release. This is another film where the palette is seemingly intentionally tamped down, and so offers little in the way of traditional "pop". In decent lighting conditions, though, fine detail is nicely precise looking a lot of the time, especially with regard to things like fabric textures. There's a kind of blackish/grayish undertone to much of the imagery here, along with a somewhat gritty looking grain field. Some interior scenes have a somewhat brownish tone, including but not limited to fleshtones. Midrange shots can occasionally be slightly soft looking. I noticed no problematic compression anomalies.
Ring 2's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix offers some substantial surround activity in some of the film's more hyperbolic moments, as in the big climax where a nearby swimming pool offers a portal of sorts to another body of water (again, I'm attempting to stay away from outright spoilers). Some of the urban locations also allow for good placement of ambient environmental effects. Occasional startle effects are delivered with sufficient energy. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout this problem free track.
Note: Ring 2 and Spiral share a disc, so supplementary material may relate to one or both films.
Ring 2, kind of like Spiral in fact, simply can't recapture the weird, hypnotic "magic" (?) of the original Ring film. Both of these purported sequels are rather interesting in their own way(s), and they make for a really bizarre double feature. Video is a little lackluster here, but never really problematic, while audio is fine, for those considering a purchase.
(Still not reliable for this title)
Ring 0 / Ringu 0: Bâsudei
2000
Rasen / らせん
1998
Ring
1998
2002
着信アリ / Chakushin ari
2003
Profondo rosso | Special Edition
1975
Ju-on 2
2003
Follia omicida
1981
着信アリ2 / Chakushin ari 2
2005
Emergo
2011
곡성 / Goksung
2016
着信アリFinal / Chakushin ari: Final
2006
1973
Ju-on
2002
2015
L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo | Remastered
1970
El Orfanato
2007
2009
Cosa avete fatto a Solange?
1972
回路 / Kairo
2001