When Julia (Matilda Lutz) finds out that her boyfriend (Alex Roe) gets involved in the cycle of "killing videotape" of Samara Morgan from The Ring (2002), she willingly sacrifices herself by watching a copy of the videotape. While waiting for seven-day trial to end, she begins receiving strange metaphysical messages from the behind-the-video entity, which apparently has a hidden agenda for her.
The most obvious problem of Rings is: it attempts to reenact what the first Western Ring excels in. It questionably copies the repetitive cycle and add some superfluous backstory. Viewers of The Ring and sequel have already been too familiar - in other words, fed up - about it; and new viewers will find it worn-off in only 15 minutes in. Yet, what's most problematic of it all is: it's not scary at all.
Muddled with plot holes and inexplicable plot points, Rings is tedious. Think as simple as this: 13 years in aftermath of the first film, why hasn't the video reached YouTube or social media? Meanwhile, at some points in the film, the protagonists' computer automatically sends the copy of it to her contacts. In early 2000s, technology might not be as advanced as now; therefore, word of mouth is the one responsible for the spreading of the video; yet, in the world where BuzzFeed shares viral story every day, that just doesn't make sense. Also, why on Earth would someone put a TV before the lift, relaying the video on a loop, and nobody gets cursed of it?
The characters are down-right dumb: one survives the video for 2 years by making a faux research and sacrifices his Biology students without nobody's being suspicious; one impolitely infiltrates into a lecture and makes the class dismissed before stalks the lecturer out of dissatisfaction; and others are as illogical. Furthermore, the myth is inconsistent - making me keep questioning its status: a sequel or a reboot. Also, we've seen a character named Evelyn as Samara's biological mother in The Ring Two in a psychiatric ward. Now, that character appears again as a ghost? Or is it only a faux apparition?
We've seen lots like Rings, but smarter and much scarier.
Rings (2017)
Horror Directed by: F. Javier Gutiérrez Written by: David Loucka, Jacob Estes, Akiva Goldsman Starred by: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, , Johnny Galecki, Vincent D'Onofrio Runtime: 102 mins Rated PG-13
