Rated PG-13 for violence/terror, thematic elements, some sexuality and brief drug material.
Starring Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Aimee Teegarden, Bonnie Morgan and Vincent D’Onofrio
Directed by F. Javier Gutierrez
Not as scary as the original, but an interesting storyline.
A young woman becomes worried about her boyfriend when he explores a dark subculture surrounding a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after he has viewed it. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: there is a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before…
I’m not afraid to admit the first Ring film freaked me out a little bit. I can still remember almost crying with Samara climbed through the TV when I thought we were heading to a happy ending. So when my wife (who loves horror movies) and I heard a squeal was coming we were excited and a little nervous that it would not live up to the original.
But with an updated version of “the film”…yes the deadly video is now digital, and a pretty decent storyline, I think Rings will keep fans happy.
There are a few “jump scares” but mostly it’s that super creeper girl crawling out of a well. And I will say that there are some pretty disturbing images and themes in the film.
I kept thinking the cast was pretty solid and then Vincent D’Onofrio showed up. He delivers a really strong performance…and yes a very creepy performance as well.
This is not a film I would recommend to everyone, but if you are a fan of this kind of horror film, I would say it’s a “Rental.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
The film is fairly clean as far as language and nudity/sex, but the scary, violent and disturbing images are definitely not for kids.
CONVERSATION STARTER:
- In the film, how is someone spared from the curse?
- How is the curse passed on to others?
- In the film a system is created and this almost becomes a game, but have you ever initially done something that you know would cause someone else pain or discomfort?
- Instead of hurting others, how can we show genuine brotherly affection?
READ Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.