Rachel Keller is a journalist investigating a videotape that may have killed four teenagers. There is an urban legend about this tape: the viewer will die seven days after watching it. Rachel tracks down the video… and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the Ring so she can save herself and her son.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Rachel Keller: Naomi Watts
- Noah Clay: Martin Henderson
- Aidan Keller: David Dorfman
- Richard Morgan: Brian Cox
- Dr. Grasnik: Jane Alexander
- Ruth Embry: Lindsay Frost
- Katie Embry: Amber Tamblyn
- Rebecca Kotler: Rachael Bella
- Samara Morgan: Daveigh Chase
- Anna Morgan: Shannon Cochran
- Teacher: Sandra Thigpen
- Innkeeper: Richard Lineback
- Girl Teen #1: Sasha Barrese
- Girl Teen #2: Tess Hall
- Male Teen #1: Adam Brody
- Harvey: Alan Blumenfeld
- Beth: Pauley Perrette
- Doctor: Joe Chrest
- Donna: Stephanie Erb
- Cashier: Joanna Lin Black
- Dave Embry: Michael Spound
- Cal: Art Frankel
- Darby Grasnik: Billy Lloyd
- Babysitter: Sara Rue
- Ship’s Mate: Keith Campbell
- Library Clerk: Ronald William Lawrence
- Grad Student: Lindsey Stoddart
- Orderly: Joe Sabatino
- Nurse: Aixa Clemente
- Mourner #1: Coleen Maloney
- Mourner #2: Catherine Paolone
- Girl on Ferry: Maura McNamara
- Girl’s Father: David Povall
- Painter: Gary Carlos Cervantes
- Ferry Worker: Chuck Hicks
Film Crew:
- Costume Design: Julie Weiss
- Director: Gore Verbinski
- Editor: Craig Wood
- Original Music Composer: Hans Zimmer
- Casting: Denise Chamian
- Producer: Walter F. Parkes
- Co-Executive Producer: Neal Edelstein
- Production Design: Tom Duffield
- Screenplay: Ehren Kruger
- Producer: Laurie MacDonald
- Director of Photography: Bojan Bazelli
- Foley Artist: Dennie Thorpe
- Sound Mix Technician: Juan Peralta
- Supervising Sound Editor: Tim Holland
- ADR Recordist: Tami Treadwell
- Set Decoration: Rosemary Brandenburg
- Makeup Effects: Rick Baker
- Stunt Coordinator: Keith Campbell
- Art Direction: Patrick M. Sullivan
- Co-Executive Producer: J.C. Spink
- Executive Producer: Roy Lee
- Set Designer: Maya Shimoguchi
- Screenplay: Hiroshi Takahashi
- Novel: Koji Suzuki
- Unit Production Manager: Bill Johnson
- Executive Producer: Mike Macari
- Music Editor: Trevor Morris
- Additional Music: Jim Dooley
- Assistant Art Director: Marco Rubeo
- Special Effects Supervisor: Burt Dalton
- Production Supervisor: Kimberly Rach
- Executive Producer: Michele Weisler
- Sound Editor: David C. Eichhorn
- Sound Designer: Peter Miller
- Stand In: Candace Moon
- Title Designer: John Brian King
- Stunts: Daniel W. Barringer
- Boom Operator: Knox White
- Assistant Costume Designer: Kimberly Adams
- Orchestrator: Bruce Fowler
- Grip: Robert Beaumont
- Editorial Production Assistant: Jason Summers
- Still Photographer: Merrick Morton
- Researcher: Jesse Cook
- Location Manager: Murray Miller
- Stand In: Benjamin Lehmann
- Pilot: Robert ‘Bobby Z’ Zajonc
- Stunts: Debbie Evans
- Makeup Artist: Amy Schmiederer
- Key Makeup Artist: Jean Ann Black
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Lora Hirschberg
- Costume Supervisor: Nancy McArdle
- Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: Nathan McGuinness
- Post Production Supervisor: Erica Frauman
- Dialect Coach: Elizabeth Himelstein
- Storyboard: Richard K. Buoen
- Transportation Coordinator: Denny Caira
- Art Department Production Assistant: Zachary Fannin
- Transportation Captain: Mike Shannon
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Craig Barron
- Dolby Consultant: Gene Radzik
- Aerial Director of Photography: David B. Nowell
- Visual Effects Editor: Kristopher Kasper
- Unit Publicist: Alex L. Worman
- Construction Coordinator: Michael Diersing
- Foley Editor: Sue Fox
- Hairstylist: Fríða Aradóttir
- Sound Effects Editor: J.R. Grubbs
- Production Accountant: Kathryn Mindala
- Sculptor: Kazuhiro Tsuji
- Second Assistant Camera: Matthew C. Blea
- Color Timer: Dale E. Grahn
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Chris Anderson
- Assistant Location Manager: David Diamond
- Second Unit Director: Charles Gibson
- Dialogue Editor: Lindakay Brown
- Visual Effects: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
- CG Animator: Brian Dowrick
- CG Animator: Steve Baker
- Driver: Michael Allegro
- First Assistant Director: Benita Allen
- Co-Producer: Christine Iso
- Conductor: Fiachra Trench
- Key Hair Stylist: Medusah
- Rigging Gaffer: Gary Dahlquist
- Steadicam Operator: Harry K. Garvin
- Casting Associate: Dena Berman
- Digital Effects Supervisor: Mark Rodahl
- Utility Stunts: Nick Brett
- Set Costumer: Linda S. Cormany
- Production Controller: Jim Turner
- 3D Artist: Glenn Cotter
- Painter: Curtis Coyote
- I/O Supervisor: Brian Cuscino
- Editorial Services: David Hunter
- Visual Effects Producer: Alessandra Cave
- Key Rigging Grip: Larry J. Aube
- ADR Editor: Michael Axinn
- Systems Administrators & Support: Kevin Tengan
- Loader: Mark Connelly
- Standby Painter: Tony Leonardi
- Assistant Chief Lighting Technician: Glenn Corbett
- Lighting Technician: Marek Bojsza
- Dolly Grip: Nico Bally
- Art Department Coordinator: Ashley Sibille
- Construction Foreman: Jerry Brooks
- Greensman: Tom Acosta
- Location Scout: Robin F. Samson
- First Assistant Camera: Craig Cockerill
- Set Dresser: Erik Berentsen
- Wigmaker: Sylvia Nava
- Carpenter: Stephen Sturm
- Craft Service: Ted Yonenaka
- Projection: Landis Hartman
- Propmaker: Alan Feffer
- Property Master: David M. Bowen
- Set Medic: Ed Gorre
- Set Production Assistant: Elizabeth Jurado
- Software Engineer: Michael Root
- Technical Supervisor: Andreas Wacker
- Video Assist Operator: Alex M. Cacciarelli
- First Assistant Editor: Simon Morgan
- Electrician: Carlos Baker
- Gaffer: Brian Tilden
- Rigging Grip: Jason Andrew
- Production Coordinator: Whitney Kitchen
- Foley Recordist: Travis Crenshaw
- Digital Compositors: Dan Cayer
- Studio Teachers: Marcia Craig
- Administration: Scott Brines
- Music Coordinator: Becky Bentham
- Foley Mixer: Frank ‘Pepe’ Merel
- Key Grip: Michael J. Coo
- Storyboard Artist: Trevor Goring
- Negative Cutter: Gary Burritt
- Marine Coordinator: Troy Waters
- Assistant Accountant: Chris Romberg
- Matchmove Supervisor: Chris Paizis
- Stunt Double: Keli Murphy
- Stunts: Ritchie Copenhaver
- Assistant Property Master: Michael Hansen
- Dolly Grip: Michael Brennan
- Second Assistant Director: Frederic Roth
- Chief Lighting Technician: Robert Ferrara
- Assistant Production Coordinator: Orlando R. Gonzales
- Musician: Anthony Pleeth
- 3D Modeller: Ben Barron
- Assistant Camera: Matthew A. Del Ruth
- Costumer: Jiřina Eisenhamerová
- CG Artist: David Santiago
- Stunts: Art Hickman
- Special Effects Technician: William Aldridge
- Post Production Coordinator: Sven E. Fahlgren
- Data Wrangler: Deborah Thomas
- Production Executive: Joel Román Mendías
- Second Second Assistant Director: Giselle Gurza
- Best Boy Grip: Craig Doobie
- Assistant Editor: Zach Justman
- Payroll Accountant: Teresa Jaime Drapkin
- Production Assistant: Chandra Irving
- Production Secretary: Afnahn Khan
- Second Assistant Accountant: Jennifer Koenig
- Travel Coordinator: Kurt Zelnak
- Stunts: Audrey Marie Crouse
Movie Reviews:
- John Chard: Is she still in the dark place?
After the mysterious death of her niece Katie, journalist Rachel Keller starts to investigate an urban legend about a videotape which kills you seven days after watching it. With dire consequences coming her way if she can not solve the mystery….
The sentence, English language remake of successful foreign horror film has been known to instill fear of the wrong kind in many a genre fan. So when it was announced that Gore Verbinski was to remake Hideo Nakata’s terrifying nerve shredder, Ringu, the reaction in horror circles was akin to someone urinating on your chips. Refreshing to report then that The Ring is a candidate for best American remake and proof positive that remakes sometimes can be a good thing.
Starring Naomi Watts (who is terrific) as Rachel, Verbinski and writer Ehren Kruger (adapting from Kôji Suzuki’s novel) successfully transfer the atmospherics of Nakata’s piece to a dank and eerie Seattle. It’s with atmosphere that The Ring starts to play on your nerves, because after viewing the creepy and unsettling tape itself, we ourselves have been set up for the race against the clock theme that is driving Rachel on. So as the mystery starts to unravel, and sadness threatens to take a hold, the story quickly shifts direction to give horror one of its most baddest and cruelest characters. It’s the kind of impact that crawls under your skin and refuses to move when you are trying to sleep at night.
Though the story has been streamlined from its source, The Ring still has a bit too much filler in its meaty structure. Feeling a need to give Watts a quest among quests, Verbinski almost over cooks the mystery essence of the plot. However, with much relief he reins it in to stop any sort of scooby doo like nonsense detracting from the creepy sense of dread that has been built up previously. The ending here works a treat, but it is a tone down from the source and with that it’s not even close to Nakata’s version, and just maybe it has something to do with Dream Works wanting to secure a PG-13 rating?
What is left though is a truly suspenseful and unsettling thriller – come horror film. One that even on revisits manages to bother and keep one on the edge of the seat. It made an $80 million profit in America alone, ensuring that a sequel was sure to follow. Now was that one a bad idea! 8/10