'The Ring' is a classy horror

The Ring

Director: Gore Verbinski

Cast: Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, Naomi Watts, Jane Alexander

Cert: 15.

A classy horror story in which a reporter (Watts) investigates the mystery of a video which apparently kills its viewers (must be The One and Only!)

The video contains strange and disturbing images and when the reporter receives a threatening telephone - the ring of the title - warning her she has only a week to live we are taken into a world of menace and darkness.

Superior stuff, even if the thrust of the plot remains fairly faithful to the conventional chillers Hollywood churns out. And a superior performance from Watts, who sustains the film throughout.

The film is based on the l998 Japanese classic by Hideo Nakata and has, for once, been translated into 'American' and 'mainstream' with care and a feeling for what makes a frightener a success. There are strong memories of several previous films, but there is enough originality to send ice along your bloodstream.

Star Rating: 4/5.