First, the background: I’m a fan of foreign language films – a big fan.
Why? The answer is quite simple – they have so much to offer. They are usually made on a modest budget and most will never compete in the Special Effects stakes when compared to your Hollywood staple diet. But what they lack in financial muscle, they make up for in ideas and originality.
Don’t get me wrong – there are as many Turkeys in a foreign language as there are in English (US or UK) - but the problem with good foreign language films is that many people just won’t give them a chance. Too much effort reading the subtitles or bad overdubbing usually being the excuses. There are so many gems out there that it’s definitely worth the effort.
And so we come to our main feature: Dark Water – a Japanese thriller/horror film from a book by Koji Suzuki and directed by Hideo Nakata. During a bitter divorce battle, mother and daughter move into a new apartment where they are plagued by water seeping through the ceiling - and the mysterious figure of a small girl in a yellow raincoat.
Suzuki also wrote ‘Ring’ and Nakata directed the film adaptation. I mention this because it will be impossible to give an opinion of Dark Water without mentioning Ring.
Why? Because the basic scenarios are the same. Here’s my reasoning – both rely on adult/child relationships, both rely on splintered relationships between the parents, both rely on the focus through the child. And here’s the crux: Sadako (Ring) and Mitsuko (Dark Water) have (basically) the same agendas – which leads the main adult character (female in both films) to come to similar conclusions. What we are talking about is a variation on a theme.
The picture quality of the DVD is reasonable but on the soft side with a good strong sound signal with the choice of DTS or 5.1. The acting is top notch from all the main characters and there is a script, which more than matches the actor’s abilities.
I watch the film. I enjoy the film and can see that both writer and director are very competent people. But then again, I could watch Formula 1 and accept that Ralf Schumacher is a very good driver. The problem is that he will always live in the shadow of his brother Michael. The same goes for Dark Water – a good film whose impact is lost by the existence of Ring. A pity.
The conclusion: a good film, which I don’t regret adding to my collection. Unfortunately, it could never have been a great film because of its older sibling.
7 out of 10.
Tip: steer clear of the American remake of ‘The Ring’ (as they called it). The production is good but the script was stripped to its bare bones and effectively dumbed down. Much of the underlying reasoning behind the scenario was lost because of this. It was, in essence, distilled into your Common-or-Garden shock/horror movie with lots of loud noises and swift camera movements. It’s amazing how much a loud noise can make you jump – even if the screen is filled with tripe
Why? The answer is quite simple – they have so much to offer. They are usually made on a modest budget and most will never compete in the Special Effects stakes when compared to your Hollywood staple diet. But what they lack in financial muscle, they make up for in ideas and originality.
Don’t get me wrong – there are as many Turkeys in a foreign language as there are in English (US or UK) - but the problem with good foreign language films is that many people just won’t give them a chance. Too much effort reading the subtitles or bad overdubbing usually being the excuses. There are so many gems out there that it’s definitely worth the effort.
And so we come to our main feature: Dark Water – a Japanese thriller/horror film from a book by Koji Suzuki and directed by Hideo Nakata. During a bitter divorce battle, mother and daughter move into a new apartment where they are plagued by water seeping through the ceiling - and the mysterious figure of a small girl in a yellow raincoat.
Suzuki also wrote ‘Ring’ and Nakata directed the film adaptation. I mention this because it will be impossible to give an opinion of Dark Water without mentioning Ring.
Why? Because the basic scenarios are the same. Here’s my reasoning – both rely on adult/child relationships, both rely on splintered relationships between the parents, both rely on the focus through the child. And here’s the crux: Sadako (Ring) and Mitsuko (Dark Water) have (basically) the same agendas – which leads the main adult character (female in both films) to come to similar conclusions. What we are talking about is a variation on a theme.
The picture quality of the DVD is reasonable but on the soft side with a good strong sound signal with the choice of DTS or 5.1. The acting is top notch from all the main characters and there is a script, which more than matches the actor’s abilities.
I watch the film. I enjoy the film and can see that both writer and director are very competent people. But then again, I could watch Formula 1 and accept that Ralf Schumacher is a very good driver. The problem is that he will always live in the shadow of his brother Michael. The same goes for Dark Water – a good film whose impact is lost by the existence of Ring. A pity.
The conclusion: a good film, which I don’t regret adding to my collection. Unfortunately, it could never have been a great film because of its older sibling.
7 out of 10.
Tip: steer clear of the American remake of ‘The Ring’ (as they called it). The production is good but the script was stripped to its bare bones and effectively dumbed down. Much of the underlying reasoning behind the scenario was lost because of this. It was, in essence, distilled into your Common-or-Garden shock/horror movie with lots of loud noises and swift camera movements. It’s amazing how much a loud noise can make you jump – even if the screen is filled with tripe
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