Ringu (Ring) poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Miki Nakatani, Yuko Takeuchi, Hitomi Sato ... see more see more... , Yoichi Namata

In this psychological horror story from Japan, a legend circulates among teenagers that if one watches a certain video at a certain time of the night, the telephone will ring right afterward, and one ... read more read more...week later, you will die. When Masami (Hitomi Sato) tells her friend Imako this story, she scoffs -- but a week later, Imako dies. Imako's aunt, a television journalist named Reiko (Nanako Matsushima), hears that not long before she died, Imako was watching a strange video with her friends -- all of whom have turned up dead. Reiko tracks down a copy of the video, and as she watches its strange, spectral images, the telephone begins to ring....The next morning, Reiko begins a desperate search to solve the mystery of the video, convinced she has only seven days to live; assisting her is Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), a mathematics expert and her former husband. Ringu was a box-office success in its native Japan, and a surprise blockbuster in Hong Kong, where it became the biggest grossing film of the first half of 1999. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

62% want to see it

44,099 ratings

Critics

97% liked it

30 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Hideo Nakata

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: March 4, 2003

report incorrect info

Photos

ring ring Ringu (Ring) ring ring ring ring ring RINGU! Ringu Ringu (Ring) ring ring ring ring ring Ringu
Upload a Photo | View All Ringu (Ring) Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (2,492)

  • moonrivers
    December 5, 2011
    moonrivers
    Interesting blend of Victorian-esque old timey creep with some modern twists as a reporter and her college professor ex scour the Japanese countryside for clues to an urban myth that just couldn't be true, it couldn't be, that'd be ridiculous, wouldn't it? Though not the scarey ... read moreadvertised, it'll do, all right, it'll do.
  • fb729949618
    October 31, 2011
    fb729949618
    This started it all the modern day Asian-American horror films, that definitely deserves alot of credit. The cinematography is well done, but personally the movie didn't really scare me.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    September 13, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    This Asian horror film is quite possibly one of the best horror films of the last twenty years. Ringu spawned the rush of American remakes of Asian horror films. Seeing this original film, the film was truly effective at building the horror because of its effective atmosphere. Ri... read morengu is a phenomenal achievement in the horror genre. Ringu is a tense, atmospheric ride that delivers genuine fright. That's something that is missing from most horror films nowadays. Ringu has the ability to frighten you and keep you on the edge of your seat from the start of the film to the end credits. This is a spine tingling horror film that brings back elements of a truly scary horror film. After the release of this film, American film studios were keen on starting the wave of countless remakes. None of these remakes would be as effective as their Asian counterparts because they would rely more on cheap jump scares than actual atmosphere. Ringu is superior to its remake for that reason, this film relies on a tense, dark and haunting atmosphere to steadily build up the horror, and that's one of the key ingredients for a successful horror film. Ringu is a terrific horror film, and is still one of the best horror films to come out of Japan. This film is a modern classic of the horror medium and the terror it brings on screen is proof of that. This film takes no prisoners in delivering genuine horrifying scares. A must see for every die hard horror fan.
  • spielberg00
    August 7, 2011
    spielberg00
    RINGU, which inspired the well-known American film THE RING, is not faithful to the Japanese novel of the same name (which was written by Koji Suzuki, author of the short story collection which inspired DARK WATER), nor is it scary at all (especially compared to THE RING), but it... read more is fantastic, well-acted, and quite thrilling.
  • WrenchLT
    January 9, 2011
    WrenchLT
    An original and unsettling supernatural tale that has inspired many imitators, remakes and sequels since its arrival 12 years ago. It did come across as being a bit slow and dull at times though. It is effective enough though and creepy as hell.
  • animegirlaya
    October 10, 2010
    animegirlaya
    Being someone who defines themselves freely as a person that loves horror, I usually tend to find the good Horror movies. In retrospect, had I known what Ringu would entail I would have have seen it faster then anyone out there. Not because Ringu is by any means, but because it i... read mores singularly one of the most terrifying film I have ever seen.

    Ringu is a slow burner, with the action not starting until about 3/4 of the way into the film. The beginning follows Reiko Asakawa's investigation of a mystery tape that kills anyone who watches it, 7 days after their time of viewing.

    The investigation takes Reiko and her (somewhat gormless) ex husband Ryuji to a desolate island in Japan where they learn the story of Shizuko and Sadako Yamamura, the latter being the creator of the 'Ring' tape.

    Sadako's character is an interesting one, as her notions within the film are somewhat ambiguous. Whether Sadako is a lonely, repressed little girl or outright evil force is left unclear, though based on Rie Inou's superb eerie bodily contortions and ghastly presence in *that* scene, I'd opt for the latter every time. There is something unshakably evil about Sadako's character- I put a large part of it down to the inhumanity of her. Her strange bent posture, the freaky eye and the lack of articulation. Keeping Sadako silent was a fantastic directorial decision by Hideo Nakata; the shroud of mystery surrounding Sadako mean she is even more scary. For the short amount of time she is in the film, Sadako's character makes a huge impact. The simplicity of her move of choice is made terrifying by the familiarity it is contained within. We all have televisions, phones, and VCRs in our home but never expect these to be a source of terror. About. If you scare easily, don't watch Ringu; it is unspeakably eerie. I've read a few reviews calling the filming and shots amateur but I personally think the hindered view is frightening- you never see what is near; working alongside the main premise of the film- the unseen is scary. I think it is beautifully shot, well acted and superbly climatic. A film as subtly conceived as it is hauntingly realised.
  • SirPant
    September 14, 2009
    SirPant
    The best contemporary horror film in ages that really bought life to a struggling genre. Absolutely terrifying and an 'Asia extreme' classic!
  • flixsterman
    May 14, 2009
    flixsterman
    I enjoyed the American remake [The Ring], this one is even better.
  • newvogueravyn
    January 8, 2009
    newvogueravyn
    I love this series. It's a great adaptation of Koji Suzuki novel, with just enough details changed to make it fresh. Plus, the way 'the video' is shot looks like any home movie at the time, rather authentic.

    I would love to compare this to the very first adaptation, the TV ser... read moreies, but sadly it doesn't seen to be available.
  • matertenebraum
    September 5, 2008
    matertenebraum
    In 2002, Dreamworks released a movie on American theaters called THE RING, by Gore Verbenski. It expanded to great lengths around the world. People claimed they had never been so scared while watching a movie in their entire life. Critics had mixed opinions of it, most for the be... read moretter. But while the entire world was screaming to THE RING, others decided to reach out for the original version that Dreamworks decided to "hide" while THE RING was in it's theatrical run. The 1998 Japanese phenomenon RINGU (a.k.a RING.)

    Based on a 1991 novel by Koji Suzuki (claimed as the Japanese Stephen King) RINGU tells the story of reporter Asakawa Reiko (Nanako Matsushima), a middle-class Japanese single mother. Her latest story is the investigation of a mysterious urban legend that circulates around high schools about a tape that kills whoever watches it seven days later. She learns that five teenagers recently died from a heart attack at the exact same time, and that they were all friends who spent a vacation on a cabin resort exactly one week before. It becomes up close and personal when she finds out one of them was her recently deceased cousin Tomoko (Yuku Takeuchi.)

    Reiko eventually tracks down and watches the mysterious tape, and in one of the movie's many chilling moments, receives a strange phone call confirming that the urban legend is true, an element that reminded me of the 1992's similar CANDYMAN. She finds help from her ex-husband Ryiuji (Hirouyuki Sanada), a psychic with paranormal powers (an element obviously removed from the US version). Both Reiko and Ryiuji examine the tape carefully and realize it was shot in a nearby volcanic island. With only a few days left, they travel to the island where the dark, disturbing truth remains hidden, waiting to be discovered.

    Taking liberties from the infilmable novel, director Hideo Nakata (DARK WATER, CHAOS) and screenwriter Hiroshi Takahashi (DON'T LOOK UP) were able to create what is perhaps one of the most impressive horror films of recent memory, challenged maybe only by the less-subliminal AUDITION. Nakata's direction already explains what makes RINGU so unique: The absence of music, limited photography, simple camera movements, and no cheap jump scares. The fear in RINGU comes from skin-deep slow burn. If you are looking for jumps, watch the American remake instead. Which brings us to the infamous RINGU vs. THE RING internet battle: A pointless one.

    The 2002 remake had more technological resources and a stronger desire to freak out the audience. Director Gore Verbenski decided not to copy the original and went for a less subliminal more artsy Dario Argento dreamy approach with a Nine Inch Nails vibe and a David Fischer love for rain. While THE RING improved on the upcoming flaws of the original, it had problems of it's own. Not wanting to change the subject, let me tell you the Japanese version is the one to see. The problem is that most people who watch the recent remake will hate RINGU, and vice-versa.

    Unlike THE RING, RINGU avoids CGI shocks and cheap jump scares like a plague. You won't find any suspenseful moments, chases, or any physical struggles between the cast here. While the remake scared you with fast zooms, weird camera tricks, and inhuman freaky bursts of weird noises, RINGU scares you with it's lack of... sadism. A good example are the videotapes. The videotape seen in THE RING is a Nine Inch Nails video, in a good way, with very weird supernatural images and weird gross-out quick glimpses. The original's videotape is shorter and maybe even weirder. It shows you different but equally impressive images that belong to a David Lynch nightmare while a "scratching" noise is heard on the background. A noise that was unfortunately omitted in the remake. The Japanese tape can be either laughable or scary depending on the mentality of whoever watches it.

    But what makes RINGU the phenomenon that it is today is the character of Yamura Sadako, who turns out to be pulling the strings. Not wanting to spoil the plot, I will just say that never since Hanniball Lacter has a character with such little screen time terrorized the audience as good. The American doppelganger Samara was badly used in the remake. While what made Sadako scary was that she was pure evil, the remake's screenwriter Ehren Kruger tried to turn her into a Batman-like repressed character that you are supposed to feel sorry for. This terribly reduces the impact of "the scene". Which leads me to "the scene" itself. If you ask anyone who watched either version what "the scene" is, they will probably know. Let me tell you that "the scene" is done much better in this version. I will go as far as saying "the scene" is hands down one of the scariest moments in cinematographic history, very close to the shower scene and the climax of DON'T LOOK NOW. The remake tried to hard with it's own "scene", adding CGI effects, quick cuts, and many other gross-out elements that the original didn't need.

    But RINGU is not without it's flaws. Either the fact that I am not Asian, or maybe that I am not familiar with psychics, but the whole Ryiuji character left me wishing for more. Maybe the subtitle translation didn't make it clear enough, but I couldn't connect to that way he always had an answer to everything. Not that Sanada's performance is lacking. He steals the scene and carries out most of the movie. Remember Bruce Lee in GREEN HORNET? Maybe not, but that is Ryiuji here. And Matsushima is equally good, although she is given less to do than her American counterpart Naomi Watts. I will give credit to the US remake by eliminating the psychic subplot. I won't forgive the fact that Ryuji's American counterpart is a pointless and boring sidekick which is what ironically gives Watts her chance to shine.

    RINGU is still a superior horrifying experience that you will not easily forget. Forget the sequels (RING 2), forget the spin-offs (RASEN), the rip-offs (FEARDOTCOM), or remakes (RING VIRUS and THE RING). It all rounds up to here. Be sure to watch Nakata's equally good DARK WATER, which is already getting a remake on early works. Oh, the humanity...

    *phone rings*

View All Ringu (Ring) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
October 7, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

Classically shot, with effective use of stereo sound effects, the movie is almost entirely free of visual horror and the usual Eastern ghost cliches, managing to suspend auds' disbelief in the hokey s... Full Review

Edward Crouse
September 25, 2007
Edward Crouse, Village Voice

Eschewing blood for a sinuous tone of Videodromic dread, Ring forces fear into every cut as a psychic telejournalist counts down the hours till a fatal visitation, while making a gung ho attempt to sa... Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
May 26, 2011
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

While the story is engrossing, and the acting top-notch, Hideo Nakata's direction is the primary reason to watch. Full Review

Derek Malcolm
October 31, 2008
Derek Malcolm, This is London

David Cronenberg could perhaps compete with Nakata but unfortunately only lesser mortals have attempted to replicate the feeling that Reiko has plunged into something with which even her psychic power... Full Review

Peter Bradshaw
October 31, 2008
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

Ring has indescribably disturbing moments that frightened me out of my wits. But like many of the Japanese horrors that followed, it sometimes has an elliptic and confusing storytelling style that can... Full Review

Wendy Ide
October 30, 2008
Wendy Ide, Times [UK]

The original retains its power to chill, although in the age of the DVD and the download, the idea of a haunted video cassette seems positively archaic. Full Review

David Jenkins
October 30, 2008
David Jenkins, Time Out

The finale, too, still feels as twisted, bizarre and down-right nightmarish as it did all those years ago. Full Review

Michael Thomson
October 7, 2008
Michael Thomson, BBC

Subtly expressive faces and spooky interiors are the order of the day in this original, powerful treat. Full Review

Steve Biodrowski
July 12, 2008
Steve Biodrowski, ESplatter

Director Hideo Nakata's film is a minor masterpiece -- a low-budget horror gem. Full Review

September 25, 2007
Film4

A landmark in horror cinema, Japan's Ring is arguably the most chilling pieces of popular supernatural cinema of the 90s. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Ring
    The Ring (58%)
  • Dark Water
    Dark Water (89%)
  • Phone (Pon)
    Phone (Pon) (67%)
  • Ju-on: The Grudge
    Ju-on: The Grudge (86%)

More Movies like Ringu (Ring)

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Ringu (Ring) : Watch Free on TV

Ringu (Ring) Trivia

  • The original was called Ringu.  Answer »
  • What is the name of the japanese version of "The Ring"?  Answer »
  • The movie THE RING was based on which film?  Answer »
  • What is the english original movie-trilogy named of the us blockbuster The Ring?  Answer »
More Ringu (Ring) Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Ringu (Ring) Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Ringu (Ring) to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Ringu (Ring) News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?