Ring Two, The

"The Ring" wasn't as scary so much as it was creepy. With its scenes of damp, dark and dank wells and other, similarly uninhabitable areas, it was a skin-crawling, chill-down-your-spine thriller.

The all-too-inevitable sequel, "The Ring Two," isn't so much creepy as it is weird — head-scratching, your-head-will-explode-if-you-think-about-it-too-much weird.

Unfortunately, weird horror isn't as rewarding as scary or creepy, and "The Ring Two" is definitely one of the bigger disappointments of late. The film's tone is also too aloof and cold, which may be what the filmmakers were going for, but it also makes it hard to warm to.

The action begins with journalist Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) and her son Aidan (David Dorfman) a few months after the events in the first movie. They've switched cities, from Seattle to that horror cliche — A Town Where Creepy Things Are Always Happening.

They're hoping the change will allow them to put their past horrors behind them, but it seems the evil ghost/entity Samara Morgan is still after them. In fact, some unfortunate teens in the area have already watched the cursed videotape and helped restore her powers.

Worse, Aidan is suffering nightmares that suggest Samara is trying to "become" him — to possess his body. So Rachel again begins digging into the past for clues, which she hopes will end Samara's threat once and for all.

Overall, this sequel marks an inauspicious American film debut for Japanese director Hideo Nakata, who also helmed the "Ringu" movies that inspired these U.S. versions. He definitely has an eye for striking imagery, such as scenes featuring bathtubs with water running up instead of down, but he's never able to build or sustain much in the way of tension.

Those problems are compounded by screenwriter Ehren Kruger's convoluted, confusing plotting, and the zombie-like performances of Watts and Dorfman, whose somewhat mature mannerisms make him sound like a cousin to the similarly creepy young actress Dakota Fanning.

This film also misuses Gary Cole, who has a funny, glorified cameo as a weasely Realtor, and Sissy Spacek, whose supporting role amounts to about five minutes of actual screen time.

"The Ring Two" is rated PG-13 for scenes of horror violence (including some animal and vehicular violence) and disturbing imagery, scattered use of profanity (including one usage of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), and some brief drug content (use of tranquilizers and a hypodermic needle). Running time: 111 minutes.

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