labrat70 I had already seen the USA version of the film before I got around to watching the original version. I am not one that is fond of watching foreign flicks in subtitles, however, I had heard that this version is far better than the USA remake. I strongly disagree.The story line was virtually the same with only a few changes made to the USA version. It isn't hard to see how the US screenplay writers for The Ring took this more simplified plot outline and was able to just run with creativity and mold it into the great classic that it has become. The acting in Ringu is sub-par and the story tends to drift rather than keeping the viewer engaged. The language/subtitles probably hinders the impact of the story for English only speakers, so I will cut some slack there.None the less, it truly is a phenomenal story- both versions, but "The Ring" is my easy choice.

CinemaClown A downright creepy, cleverly paced & patiently narrated chiller whose success spawned a trend of Hollywood remakes of Asian horror flicks, Ring (also known as Ringu) doesn't rely on conventional tricks like jump scares or blood-filled gore to frighten its viewers but allows their imagination to do the required job, and lets its ominous atmosphere act as a catalyst.The story of Ring revolves around a videotape that is fabled to bear a jinx that kills its viewers after 7 days. The plot follows a TV reporter who conducts her own investigation, when her niece & her 3 other friends die under mysterious circumstances, and ultimately stumbles upon the ill-fated video herself. With limited time on her hands, she attempts to find a way to lift the curse.Directed by Hideo Nakata, an aura of mystery & menace permeates every frame of this feature and the controlled manner in which its events transpire allows those elements to ingrain itself in the viewers' subconscious. The haunting, surreal & disturbing imagery that make up the contents of the cursed tape carries a mystical power of its own, and manages to deliver the chills despite not revealing much.The entire picture is encapsulated with a grim tone & overcast ambiance, each scene unfolds as if there's a clue hidden somewhere in every frame, and the cold colour palette adds more layers of bleakness to it. Editing is expertly carried out, for it keeps the narrative tightly-wrapped and allows it to unfurl at its own pace. And the cast does a commendable job in their given roles, and play their part with utmost sincerity.On an overall scale, Ring makes each & every one of its aspects work in favour of its story and remains one of the finest horror films to come out of Japanese film industry. Shrouded in complete mystery, effectively sustaining its sinister mood for the entirety of its runtime, and wrapping itself up with an unforeseen twist, Ring may not be scary on a visceral scale but its eerie element will still be an onslaught on the viewers' psyche.

ComedyFan2010 I don't remember the American version of the movie. I sure watched it when it came out and remember being very impressed. but watching the original now, over a decade later I won't be able to compare the two.Which is fine since the original deserves to be treated like an individual movie. I can say for sure that it is a great movie and by now one can really say that it is a classic in the horror movie genre. It is one of the most successful Japanese horror movies that also started a big interest in the West towards Japanese horror.What makes this movie so great is that it is very atmospheric. The idea itself is original but not complicated. The atmosphere is very creepy and keeps one full of suspense. This is the better kind of horror than just some blood massacres.The suspense keeps a tight grip on the viewer and doesn't let one relax until the very end where we get some great twists that make the movie even more shocking and giving more room to imagine what comes next.The acting is not the major part of the movie where as I said suspense is what plays the greatest role. But the actors are really good fitting in with the mood of the movie. The one who causes all that horror is almost never on the screen and yet keeps the viewers terrified. Great work of art.

zombiefan89 If you were wondering what the difference between Ringu and The Ring is, I 'll try to sum it up for you. You remember that TV series adaption of Stephen King's "IT"? Ringu is a lot like that. There is a lot of reflection scares and horror-mystery elements, but it has such a weak pay off. With the American version, you get significantly better scares and death scenes. I would have been okay with the classic "scream then cut to next scene", but the black and white-invert color thing, too? Any respect or immersion I had was ANNIHILATED by those scenes! I laughed at the death scenes! Those scenes made Ringu is a complete and utter failure of a horror movie! I would still recommend watching it if only to see the original Japanese version, but that's only justification I could give. To be honest, I didn't find the American version all that good either. A tape that takes 7 days to kill you is just not that threatening to me. Now if Sadako were "Final Destination"-ing people near immediately after they viewed the tape, THAT would have been glorious!