It's not often I go to the cinema, and despite trailers for The Grudge featuring a rather gratuitous scene of Sarah Michelle Gellar in the shower, they didn’t inspire me to see this.

Hollywood adaptations of Japanese horror films – a la The Ring – aren’t really my thing, and if I had gone I’d no doubt have been disappointed that the shower seen in the film is almost equally brief and pointless. Nonetheless, it’s a shame in another way, for The Grudge is certainly something that’d work better on the big screen.

It’s horror in the subtle, Japanese style that relies heavily on suspense rather than gore or showy effects. Often there are only one or perhaps two characters ‘on stage’, and lengthy gaps in the dialogue, allowing the almost all-pervasive soundtrack to build the sense of atmosphere and foreboding. For creating tension, it works well, but the ultimate climax and release is disappointing. There are numerous moments that almost made me jump – and in the cinema, probably would’ve – but at home aren’t quite as frightening.

That’s not to say the DVD isn’t worth having. Although you’re unlikely to be quite as scared the second time, it may well take multiple viewings to understand the non-linear plot. I’m still not quite sure I understand the history of the curse on the house myself. What’s more, the cast commentary, though not particularly informative, does turn up some interesting snippets – and it sounds like they bonded well and had a good time in Japan.

(3/5)

The Grudge