Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)

Director: Takashi Shimizu

Writer: Takashi Shimizu

Composer: Shiro Sato

Starring: Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Yui Ichikawa, Kanji Tsuda, Kayoko Shibata, Yukako Kukuri, Shuri Matsuda, Yoji Tanaka, Yoshiyuki Morishita

More info: IMDb

Plot: An evil curse and vengeful spirits seem to linger upon a house where the horrific murder of a woman and child took place and anyone who sets foot inside the house is marked for a terrifying haunting which will not rest. One by one, those who have been tainted by the house begin to die, and nowhere is safe.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.  Twice is enough.

When I first saw this a decade ago I dug it.  I guess I didn't mind the pacing so much as it was fresh and intriguing (plus I was trying to figure out what the fuck was going on).  Now the pacing is definitely the deal killer for me.  It's not horrible but the hour an a half feels like two and a half.  OK, so I guess it's pretty bad.  Maybe I was sleepy or something.  The ghost sounds (throat clicking) was nice as well as the appearances of the ghosts but it just wasn't enough.  Showing what happens to the different residents of that home was neat but it's also repetitive.  Maybe it's too soon to look back and think about what the horror scene was like when this came out or this might just be a one or two time watch and that's it.  I'm going to give the sequels and the American remake a pass.