the Mind’s Chew Toy

Everyone’s favorite vampire killer has returned…sort of. Sarah Michelle Gellar takes a bit of her Buffy persona to the big screen. Will the tamer, easier freaked-out (and weaker) Buffy hit as big on the big screen as the TV Buffy did on the small screen - or should Sarah Michelle Gellar stick to Scooby-Doo sequels from now on?

Sarah Michelle Gellar does a decent job of acting in this semi-familiar role for her. She doesn’t act anywhere near as well as she did in Buffy, but she does a good enough job to get the viewer involved in the film.The more films the viewer sees with Sarah, the more they began to realize that the writing, as well as the supporting cast, really helped Sarah to make Buffy such a great TV series. Without that backup, Sarah tends to flounder a bit. Thrust into the lead on this picture, she does her best to struggle through, but the viewer will easily notice a bit something lacking in her performance, comparatively.

Bill Pullman, a newcomer to the horror scene after his romantic comedy roles in While You Were Sleeping and the like, does a decent job in his small role in the film as well. He doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time, but he does pull off the first big shocker of the film with style.

The other actors are merely “cannon fodder” for the ghosts and ghoulies, and don’t really contribute much to the film. The only exception to this, besides Bill and Sarah, is the Det. Hakagawa, played by Ryo Ishabishi. He really helps contribute to the film, and, in his role as “good guy”, definitely helps put the fright into the audience with his ability to showcase his growing fear as the movie progresses.

The plot seems a bit similar to some of the other fright fests that have preceded it. Call it fear dot com (with a house instead of a website), call it The Amityville Horror …whatever you call it, you most likely have seen something similar before.

Apart from that, the action is directed quickly, with (a bit too long) pauses to build up tension in-between, that makes it more than just it’s plot. The dialogue also occasionally leaves a little something to be desired, but again the movie struggles on despite it.

The special effects are well done, with a few images that will stay with you (if you’ve seen the preview, you already know of one: Sarah Michelle Gellar washing her hair in the shower and suddenly feels a couple of fingers reaching out of her head…) for a while after the movie is done.

The creepy feel of the film is enhanced by the excellent sound effects of the film (example: a woman turns around with blood on her shirt - a little creepy. A woman turns around with blood on her shirt, and you can hear the squishiness of her step, and every bone cracking and popping as she raises her head - downright freaky). The sound is more of a stand-out in this film than even the special effects are.

An okay performance by a frightened and weak Sarah Michelle Gellar, a plot that’s been done, and lackluster performances by most of the cast - sounds pretty crappy, doesn’t it? Add in decent performances by Ryo Ishibashi and Bill Pullman, and some truly creepy sound effects, and The Grudge starts to take on a whole new kind of light.

Giving The Grudge a shot on DVD is worth it…but I wouldn’t go right out and buy it.