One Missed Call 2

This is a nice follow up to the original (One Missed Call, 2003). It's not a rehash of the original film, but it builds on the story by introducing new perspectives on the mysterious process by which the killer telephone calls are made. There are some quite atmospheric scenes and a nice mystery for the characters to solve. I liked some of the acting, too. However, some elements of the plot are a little bit nonsensical. Something to mention... I watched the deleted scenes on the DVD and the director's interview about those deleted scenes. The director said he removed those scenes from the movie in order to improve the pacing. However, the deleted scenes improve the story, containing important information that explains the background (including an intriguing tale, told by an old woman, of how she saw the same thing in her youth, but with handwritten letters rather than phones!). In other words, the deleted scenes enrich the story and render the story more understandable. So, if you watch these on DVD, be sure to check out the deleted scenes afterwards.

Japanese horror, like any other cinema industry, has it's duds. Ju-on the Curse 2 (TV), Dead Waves, Gozu, Shikoku, and the entire Tomie series qualify as disappointments, just to name a few. As a fan of East Asian horror, I demand good entertainment by the industry, and have no problem lambasting a crappy movie when I see one. Fortunately, One Missed Call 2 is not an utter disappointment, as some on IMDb have claimed. Unlike my other comments, this review will be short and sweet.

The storyline is more complex and intricate than the original. Multiple supernatural elements and threats are introduced and the structure of the plot is more like a mystery, which keeps the viewer off balance and engaged at the same time. I actually needed a pad and pen to jot down notes because there was a lot of relationships and events to keep track of. If anything else, One Missed Call 2 is not easily predictable, and that is a good thing. Also, the technical quality is solid. Good cinematography, acting, and lighting.

One negative is that the movie drags a bit in the middle and is not quite as scary as the original. The filmmakers should have added one or two entertaining kills during the middle half hour. That would have made this one as good as the original. In it's current state, however, it is less entertaining to a degree – but still entertaining nonetheless.

I can't see how people can complain about One Missed Call 2 when they are constantly peppered by the sheer idiocy and low quality tripe dished out by Hollywood. Sure, this film is not as good as Kairo or as original as Tetsuo, but it's MUCH better than Hostel, Silent Hill, The Hills Have Eyes, or The Devil's Rejects, just to name a few.

So if you liked the first one, give this one a try. Remember, even the most formulaic horror films from Japan are still better than your average American slasher.

Most disappointing aspect about this sequel is that it falls incredible flat as an horror.

It's a sequel to an already troubled first movie, that showed lots of premise with its main concept but was one that was not without its flaws and also fell kind of short as an horror movie.

I just can't see how horror lovers, or fans of the Japanese horror genre in particular, can get any satisfaction out of this movie. Seriously, most of the time there isn't a whole lot happening and its horror moment mostly consists out of people looking scared whenever they receive a phone call. And the other moment, the feature some more classic Japanese kind of horror elements, you most of the time have no idea what is going on.

Again, just like was the case with the first movie is that this movie becomes incredible confusing in its second half. I can't really say if this was because it was all hard to understand or simply because I had lost interest in this movie, halfway through. Whatever was the case, it ruined quite a lot for me. Before its second half I was still pretty much giving this movie the benefit of the doubt and was still willing to give this movie a better rating then I'm giving it now.

What also really doesn't help this movie is that it has some incredible poor acting in it. It especially ruins a lot of the supposedly scary and tense moments.

Otherwise, it's one fine looking movie, with a typical Japanese horror look and style all over it. Nothing about this movie is basically bad looking, so all the blame could be put on the movie its script and acting.

Disappointing sequel to an already average movie.

4/10

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After the ultimate success of its predecessor, "One Missed Call 2" is released in 2005 with a different crew on-board. Having an upgraded premise, you'd expect this sequel to be better--but it really isn't. Sure, the deaths are more intriguing, but you've got to listen--the film has more cons than expected. The ending is somewhat unsatisfying, and it seems that a brand new story is attempted to be forced into the original lore of Mimiko from the first "One Missed Call" film. Fortunately, the runtime is much more reasonable than the first film, and the terror stays the same, not changing much from the original film!

I didn't care for the first one; it was competently made, but too derivative for my liking, along with multiple endings, the final one of which didn't seem to make sense. There was a funny line in this movie as some characters recalled the events of the first one and asked "how did that end?"

In the first, there was a chain of deaths linked by cell phone calls apparently originating with a death in a home involving Munchausen Syndrome-by-Proxy. The deaths typically involved some sort of poltergeist activity preparing a location for a death by falling, and then a person being dragged or thrown from a height. Some of the deaths involved twisting of the body in bone-cracking ways. One clue found on the bodies is a red candy, and each call is announced by an annoying ringtone taken from a children's television show (one that exists in the world of the movie).

In this one (I might have called it Two Missed Calls rather than One Missed Call 2), the manner of deaths, and clues and possible cause are mixed up somewhat. The two female leads are quite attractive. Again, I guess it could be said that it is competently made, but I didn't find it very interesting and again the ending involves some sort of twists that aren't particularly appreciated. Those who liked the first one a lot might enjoy this one too. The first one is being remade and I would guess that a sequel will be made to that one as well though it will probably not be a remake of this one (think the American Ring 2 or The Grudge 2).

There's a short film "gomu" on the second disc which takes place in the One Missed Call world, though when in relation to the two films, I'm not sure. It is poorly shot on video and isn't really worth the minute or two that it lasts.