Dark Water­®

Okay, I went to the movies, and all the things I wanted to see were pass-restricted, so I couldn't use my cheapification coupon on a good movie, and instead of paying a little extra to see a movie I would have eventually wanted to see anyway, I squandered even more money by going ahead and watching a movie I didn't want to see. It was Dark Water®. When I watched it, I was borne out in my not wanting to see it. It was just like The Ring. If you've seen The Ring, don't waste your time watching Dark Water®. If you haven't, and you're dead-set (pardon the expression) on seeing a movie where a dark-haired, undead demon-girl who suffered a water-related death haunts an attractive, young mother with a small child, you should consider seeing Dark Water® instead of The Ring. It's not as scary, but it's a more well-rounded movie, emotionally. That is, it's sadder. Also Jennifer Connelly (sp?) is great. She really sells the paranoid, depressed, yet somehow strong beauty at the centre of the story. And the directing dwells on emotion rather than subliminal fear. Still, it's a rip-off.

For those of you who have seen The Ring, see if this sounds familiar:

Creepy, water-related things happen to a young mother and her photogenic child, and then they discover that it's all been caused by a dark-haired little girl who met her death in a water supply because her parents didn't love her. - SPOILER ALERT - And when they lay her body to rest and think everything's a-ok and the young woman's about to reunite with her ex... the demon-girl comes and unleashes her rage and proves that she has no gratitude or scruples. This time, it doesn't happen in Seattle, though: it happens in a New York where it rains so much, it might as well be Seattle.

One and a half stars (out of five).

Backlog Bob