An American cop investigates a house with a
seemingly strange and horrifying curse attached to it. HORROR
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The Grudge (2020)Written and Directed by Nicolas Pesce
Starring Andrea Riseborough, Demian Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin, William Sadler, Frankie Faison, Tara Westwood, Dave Brown, Lin Shaye, Jacki Weaver Remake of 2002's Ju-On and 2004's The Grudge |
Man, how I wish January and February weren’t considered dumping grounds for terrible movies. As most movie fans know, there’s two major seasons of films: summer blockbusters and Oscar contenders. Then, there’s what comes out in the first two months of the year. The time which studios just released what they know isn’t good because it will still make money since nothing else is out. There are exceptions, don’t get me wrong. But the exceptions aren’t the norm unfortunately. Especially with horror films released around this time. Thank God for indie filmmakers because studios tend to put out the worst they got. It’s why I tend to avoid going to the movies a lot in the first two months of the year. Too much crap. But, curiosity gets the better of me and I eventually watch something. In this case, the recent addition of The Grudge. And now, I deeply regret this decision.
Where to even begin with this? The story I guess. The Grudge series is very well-known for its nonlinear storytelling method. And, for the most part, it works well. It’s proven to be a great way to enhance the story they’re telling while also moving the plot along. Here, though, it just feels like they’re padding out a weak main storyline. It’s suppose to be about a cop investigating a string of murders, but there is just little urgency and the various storylines just made me wonder where everything takes place. If the plot sucks, then the actors can save it. I’m sure that’s what you’re thinking. But they don’t. Mainly because this is the most depressing horror film I’ve seen since no one is happy. EVER!! The only performance that had any life to it was done by veteran horror actor, Lin Shaye. The biggest sin of all for me, though, is the complete absence of the famous ghosts attached to this series. You heard me right. The two most well-known ghosts in this series aren’t even in the FUCKING MOVIE!!!! Instead, they are replaced with brand new rules which are never properly explained and gore which the series has never been known for to begin with. The fact that films like this get made still astounds me. The Grudge is a lazy, garbage pile of a film which couldn’t even be bothered to come up with an original title. A complete waste of talented actors and disregard for what came before, even though this is a sequel, makes for one of the worst horror films I’ve seen this year. And you know what makes me angrier? The idea behind this is brilliant. But the execution is beyond terrible. Much like the characters, can we just let this grudge die for good? |