Ring, The MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 Content: -3

When her 16-year-old niece dies unexpectedly, investigative reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) learns that she watched a video with 3 other teens. The other teens all died at exactly the same time, seven days after seeing the videotape. Rachel discovers the tape and curiosity wins out as she watches the strange video. She asks her friend Noah (Martin Henderson), an audio-visual specialist to analyze the tape for her. But as she investigates the source of the tape and its story, Rachel receives ominous warnings that she only has seven days to uncover the truth. Some of the warnings come from her son Aidan (David Dorfman), who creates pictures of things he says a girl tells him to draw. And Rachel later discovers the source of the drawings. Adapted from a Japanese horror story/film, this mystery-thriller is filled with foreboding images and eerie events that will attract the pre-Halloween crowds.

Like THE SIXTH SENSE, this film features a young boy who seems to know more about the spirit world than the adults. Rachels investigation leads her to uncover mysterious events involving a horse breeder and her adopted daughter. Various scenes show startling and bizarre images on the video tape and several scenes build suspense that make viewers jump at sudden revelations. Once scene shows a horse falling overboard from a ferryboat and bloody water implies a gruesome death passing through the boat propellers. Although her investigation seems to solve the mystery of the tape, and the typical dead spirit finding rest, an unusual twist implies the possibility of a malevolent spirit desiring more than the simple truth of a hidden event. Later, while duplicating the tape, Aidan wonders about the fate of those who may see the tape. Along with some scary scenes and grotesque faces, the dialogue includes a number of strong profanities and obscenities. Although it acknowledges apparent evil spirits, THE RING offers no positive solution to the evil, other than to pass it to someone else. Avoid THE RING and share the Good News instead.

Preview Reviewer: Paul Bicking
Distributor: Dreamworks Pictures; 1000 Flower St., Glendale, CA 91201