Ju-on: The Curse 2

I enjoyed the foreign horror film 'Ju-on' and the remake that was made by Tackashimi Shimzu, the man who directed the American remake.'Ju-on 2' isn't nearly as good as the first or the remake.Sure, it was worth watching, but the fact that almost half of the movie is the same footage from the first movie makes it seem like one of those movies that you have already seen before.The movie is also short.It runs in at 76 minutes, but really runs at 74 minutes if you take out the end credits.Yeah, it's a pretty short movie.I can't guarantee that if you liked the first movie that you'll like this one.Still, I found 'Ju-on 2' to be an enjoyable sequel.

I'll get straight to the point; a little more than half of Ju-On 2 is footage from the first movie. That is a very, very big problem. If it was all original footage, then Ju-On 2 would easily outshine the original. What new material there is is stronger than the first one, and more original, too. But as it stands, Ju-On 2 is mostly just a rehash of the original, which is a real shame. SOme of the many questions from the convoluted story of the original are answered here, but not to a satisfying degree. I get that they were trying to make it so that you didn't have to watch the original first, but it is absolutely absurd to expect returning viewers to sit through the same stuff. Why couldn't there have been a simple opening exposition scene about the previous occurances in the house? That would've been shorter and less annoying, and we would've gotten more time for the great original content.

Honestly, I would reccomend just completely skipping over the first forty minutes if you're hot off the heels of Ju-On: the Curse. If you haven't seen the original, then I would reccomend this movie even more. Just go in with the knowledge that the movie's first half is ripped straight from the first half of Ju-On, and you'll have a good time.

Final Score: 47/100.

Full disclosure: I watched a cut of 'Ju-On: The Curse 2 (2000)' that combines it with its predecessor, thus removing the thirty minutes of recap found in the actual cut of the film. Using that much footage from a pre-existing picture is pretty inexcusable (especially when the film you're padding it with is only seventy-five minutes long), but I can't really comment on it in detail because I skipped the recap entirely. Once the flick delves into new territory, it's a mostly effective - if somewhat redundant - extension to its predecessor. It expands upon the initial concept by making it clear that the curse not only effects those who have been inside the focal house, but also those that get near them. That's its most major contribution to the franchise's lore; other than that, it's pretty much more of the same, which is to say a series of interconnected segments that culminate in a scare. The non-linear nature of the story is played down significantly here, with the segments more-or-less seeming to continue directly on from one another. This isn't really an issue, though, and it makes for a more straightforward viewing experience. The segments themselves are typically engaging, even if most of them are a bit middling overall. There are a couple of segments that stand out above the others and it's these that make the overall film worth a watch. It typically feels less like a full-blown sequel and more like an epilogue, but it has a few arresting sequences and further solidifies the never-ending nature of the series' eponymous curse. 6/10.

"Ju-On 2" isn't definitely as good as the original.It's very bland and boring film with some occasionally scary moments."Ju-On 2" starts at the beginning of the first film,re-telling the story that started it all in the original "Ju-On",and then about half way into the film the new story picks up.The film offers some downright creepy moments,but there is not enough creepiness for my liking.There is also one scene obviously stolen from Hideo Nakata's horror hit "Ringu"(1998).So if you liked the first film you may be a bit a disappointed with this one.My rating:6 out of 10-and that's being generous.Stick with brilliant original.

Continuing the story of its predecessor, "Ju-on 2" (2000) maintains the quality of the first film, but disappoints due to technical issues and questionable compositional choices.

The film inherits all the strengths and weaknesses of the first film, but fails to structure the productions as separate titles. The film features an unnecessary 30-minute recap of the previous film, resulting in a cut of almost half the total running time. The decision to develop the video as separate titles hinders the enjoyment of the plot, making it an ill-advised decision. In addition to the recap, the film features unimpressive scenes and CGI effects that have aged poorly, factors that compromise the final result. Overall, the production maintains the quality of its predecessor in terms of the heavy atmosphere, the simple yet effective plot, the dry cinematography, among other elements. As in "Ju-on" (2000), the abrupt ending may disturb audiences unfamiliar with J-Horror works of the era. The video would make more sense if it comprised the last minutes of the previous film, without the need for a continuation in another title, this being the notable error that permeates the work from beginning to end.

Despite the unconventional decisions in the composition and distribution of the project, "Ju-on 2" does not disappoint if interpreted as the final minutes of its predecessor.