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26 out of 39 people found the following review useful: This 'Grudge' Has Got Tiresome..., 31 January 2009 Author: (Sam_Movie_Buff) from California
As a fan of "Ju-On" and the 2004 remake―starring "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" actress Sarah Michelle Gellar―I had high hopes for this third installment. I mean, after the abysmal 2006 sequel, it couldn't get any worse, right? Wrong. Granted not as tedious and insipid as the sequel, this 2009 follow-up starring actress Shawnee Smith still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Where to start... ?Director Toby Wilkins tries to duplicate the eeriness and unpleasantness of the first movie, but sadly, fails miserably. With half-hearted acting, bad special effects, and a tiresome plot, the movie never picks up or satisfies. Whilst watching the movie, I realized the overall story of the franchise has never evolved; or more to the point, no one has tried to take a fresh approach. Much like the sequel, the third stab is a series of flat, horror-lacking murder sequences, and what makes this even worse is, we already know what's coming. Scene after scene after scene, the previous formula is recycled. We hear the now trademark 'Grudge' sound, we hear a small boy running, we hear the cry of a cat ― and that's pretty much it. There is only so many times you can show a pale-faced, dark haired Japanese woman with her dead son and their dead cat, until it's just not scary anymore. The franchise needs new ideas. We need new stories and new locations. Otherwise, this 'Grudge' is going to be on a constant loop. My advice, stick with the original or the 2004 remake. There's nothing you haven't seen before here. One thing I will say is, I'm surprised this movie is getting the direct-to-DVD treatment and the second one had theater status. Although both are severely mediocre, IMO, I wasn't left completely catatonic after watching the third.
19 out of 28 people found the following review useful: Same Old Stuff, 1 February 2009 Author: HotShotC92 from United States
To be honest, i was expecting perhaps something, probably too much, that would perhaps be original and new to the third grudge. But i think this was even worse than the others. Nearly the entire movie takes place in the same apartment building with the same stupid people who don't believe anything. This is simply the same story told yet again. The ending wasn't really surprising. It ends so that yet another Grudge can come out in the future. Grudge 4 will most likely be announced, if it's not already announced, in the near future. Rated R because more blood, but not really gore so much. i would say this is a decent movie other than the fact that it is the same old stuff. Come on Hollywood! Give us some originality! 4 out of 10
10 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Disgraceful, 14 May 2009 Author: John Goodson from United States
It seems the majority of the reviews thus far have been written by viewers who, after not enjoying either of the two previous films, decided to weigh in on what is ultimately a complete mockery of a great series.First I'll tackle the good things about this film, of which there are few, but they deserve mentioning and as much of a reprieve as anyone can give them. Aiko Horiuchi replaces Takako Fuji as Kayako (creepy crackling voice lady) and picks up the role fairly well. Any fault in her appearance lies with the director, Toby Wilkins, who I will get to in a moment. The only other two notable performances come from the female leads, Johanna Braddy and Takatzuna Mukai and might not so much be notable as much as they just sharply contrast their terrible surroundings.Now, on to the awful stuff. I think the large majority of the critics of the first two films, as I have understood them on here, find that the they were cryptic and difficult to follow. They have gotten their wish for an easy to interpret, spoon-fed, linear-flowing, cheesy horror film in The Grudge 3. Gone are the intelligent and subtle left-to-the-imagination disappearance kills. Artistic and suspenseful cinematography have been replaced by bland, formulaic and frightfully comical scenes. Brad Keene and Toby Wilkins have crafted an hour-and-a-half long slap in the face of director Takashi Shimizu who re-invented the haunted house horror film by making his own rules and breaking all the ones in the book.Normally I am given pause when criticizing the artistic vision of writers, directors and actors who put their work on the line for what is largely a very unforgiving audience. In this case, however, the writer and director were toying with another man's vision and the hard work and creative energy he expended trying to bring something original into the world. I am dumbstruck by how a duo could miss the theme of a series so entirely. Ultimately, The Grudge 3 adds nothing to the mythology of the films and takes away a substantial amount.
7 out of 11 people found the following review useful: The Curse is Reborn, 16 November 2009 Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
In Chicago, the boy Jake (Matthew Knight) is interned in a mental institution and his therapist Dr. Sullivan (Shawnee Smith) does not believe that he is haunted by the ghost of the boy Toshio. When Jake is killed in his cell with all his bones broken, Dr. Sullivan decides to investigate further with open-mind. Meanwhile, Lisa (Johanna Braddy), who is the sister of the super Max (Gil McKinney) of Jake's building, steals the key of apartment 305 to have sex with her boyfriend Andy (Beau Mirchoff). When she realizes that the spot is a crime scene, she immediately returns to her apartment, where she lives with Max and their sister Rose (Jadie Hobson). In the meantime, the Japanese Naoko (Emi Ikehata) decides to travel from Tokyo to Chicago to stop the curse of her sister Kayako. She meets Lisa and tells that she needs hers and Rose's help her to stop the fiend of her sister, but Lisa does not accept the offer. When Max is possessed by the evil spirit of Daisuke (Takatsuma Mukai), Lisa visits Naoko but it may be too late to stop the curse."The Grudge 3" is better and better than the second movie of the franchise. The screenplay is well-developed and the ghosts are very creepy and scary. Max recalls Jack Nicholson's character in "The Shining" when he is possessed. Lisa is a character quite dumb and her stupid attitude refusing to help Naoko is the weakest part of this good sequel. Now it seems that Naoko has reborn the curse, but I hope the producers stop this franchise. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "O Grito 3" ("The Scream 3")
9 out of 15 people found the following review useful: A lot better than most DTV movies., 2 February 2009 Author: Slasher_Guy
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
The Grudge 3 tells the story about a brother and his two sisters, who live in the apartment building from "The Grudge 2", fighting for their lives against the menacing ghosts of Kayako and Toshio. A young Japanese woman Naoko, revealed as Kayako's sister, travels to the apartment and Dr. Ann Sullivan (Shawnee Smith) investigates also, after the death of her patient Jake, the sole survivor of the sequel.First of all, if you've seen as many horrible DTV films I have, you'll immediately notice that The Grudge 3 is one of the better ones in terms of production values, actors, quality etc. The trailer for the film makes it look cheap, but the movie looks just as theatrical as the first two. The soundtrack is exactly the same from the first two movies, the apartment looks exactly the same from the sequel, plenty of exterior shots and a solid set of actors. This movie actually looks like it had a budget to work with, unlike recent horrible sequels "Pulse 2" and "Pulse 3".DTV movies in general, and sequels such as "Wrong Turn 2", "Joy Ride 2", "The Grudge 3" etc. are definitely getting a lot better, and some of them are even better than some of the crap in theaters. If you've seen the first two, you'll also notice this is the most violent Grudge movie yet, with some bloody deaths. Kayako and Toshio have been recast, but it's not necessarily a huge issue since they are just actors in white make-up.The acting is solid from the cast, and it was great to see Shawnee Smith (Saw I, II, III) in another horror movie. Toby Wilkins, who recently directed the very good horror movie "Splinter" (2008), does a great job here and is probably one of the reasons why it doesn't feel cheap and tacky. He's a talented director and does a solid job. The script is pretty good, and I loved the introduction of Kayako's sister and the twist of events at the end. It was also much smoother than "The Grudge 2", which could get a tad confusing at times.Overall, The Grudge 3, in my opinion, is a solid entry to The Grudge franchise and it's one of the best DTV movies you can ask for. This movie could have easily have had horrid production values and it could have been horrible, but I actually loved it for what it was. Solid cast, solid director, good death scenes (with even more blood this time!) and it's a solid continuation to the storyline.7/10
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Better than The Grudge 2..., 9 October 2009 Author: MovieGuy01 from United Kingdom
I found this film to be better than the second film. it is about A young Japanese woman who knows how to stop the evil spirit of Kayako. She travels to the haunted Chicago apartment from the sequel, to stop the curse of Kayako once and for all. The film begins in a mental hospital, where Jake Kimble (Matthew Knight) is in a cell. He complains to his doctor, Ann Sullivan (Shawnee Smith) that if she leaves him alone, then She (Kayako) will get him. Sullivan tells him that he is there for his own protection, and that he will be safe there. She apologises to him and leaves, telling him she will be back later. Jake bangs on the door, but Kayako appears behind him. Kayako's sister, Naoko Kawamata (Emi Ikehata),is a Japanese woman who hears of Jake's death in the newspaper and becomes worried. and travels to to Chicago where the last incident with Kayako occurred. She is introduced to the Chicago apartment by Max,(Gil McKinney) the landlord, and immediately she begins to feel her sister's presence in the house This was a much better film than the second film.GOOD FILM
4 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Every curse needs to to know when to hang it up and go home, 22 February 2009 Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York
Okay but passionless tale of attempts to end the curse by a Japanese woman who goes from Japan to Chicago where the curse has situated itself in an apartment building. Much too by the numbers to really be considered anything (you could have called this anything and it wouldn't have mattered), this is a film where its clear its time to call an end to the series (hell, the Japanese did). You know you're in trouble when the creepy white skin kid now looks like a not so creepy white skinned teen with a bad haircut. Worse is the fact that the sounds coming from him are badly done and far from creepy. The series has lost its way and become a waste of time.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: A good third instalment to the series but really needs to be stopped before it gets too silly, 15 December 2009 Author: i_love_chaos from United Kingdom
this new Grudge instalment is my worst of the three but still holds on and is enjoyable but i really do hope that this is the last one. if they make another i really do think i'll hate it. you can always see when a film series should finish by seeing how many well known actors are not in the new ones and there not replaced by other big actors. now i know i will be ridiculed for this but my favourite grudge film is the second one. i actually think the second has an epic horror movie feel due to its three long stories that are happening in three different times and different places.the Grudge 3 basically starts in a mental institute because Jake (survivor of the second film) has been committed there. he is extremely scared because he knows that hes going to be the next victim by Kayako and Toshio. the film is set in the same hotel as the second instalment and the evil is still there. the film gives off some pretty good shocks and is still pretty fresh and interesting but you can see by watching this that this has to be the last one in order to keep the films dignity. this is a good instalment but doesn't come close to the first two movies............. 7/10..............j.d Seaton
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: So So Acting but Good Scares, 21 September 2009 Author: hornypriest from Indonesia
Hm So i've watched all 3 series of Grudge. And going into this movie, i expected the not so good acting. The plot also i kinda weird since you have Japanese ghosts in an American home, which really doesn't make sense. But if you put that aside, i thought the scary scenes were really well made. I've watched a lot of horror films and this one is up there in terms of suspense and scare. I also thought the jerky movements of the female ghost were pretty interesting.All in all i thought this isn't that bad of a movie, i would give it a 7 if the story was more convincing and the acting better. But i give it a 6 because i thought its a movie which provided good suspense and scares that we look for (why else would you go see horror films?).
7 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Way below par..!, 4 March 2009 Author: Jon Gillett from Bournemouth, England(UK)
I always preferred the original Japanese titles to the second rate American remakes, but as there was no Jap Grudge 3 it became a no brainer (in every sense of the phrase). I enjoyed the first two films a fair bit; I wouldn't have said that they rocked my world, but were not such a bad way to spend an hour and a half.This third installment is almost not part of the same franchise; OK, so there are the same main characters from the previous two and the so-called curse that is supposed to be attributed to the location where the murders took place (therefore how can it move to the USA just because the story needs it as a plot device?), other than that nothing much. The characters are all horrendous stereotypes from clichéd horror films which were all done far better than this mess, the story plods along slower than it has any right to and the majority of the first hour does little other than explain who the 4 main characters are, which could be done in around 5 minutes if handled correctly!! There is little by way of gore apart from a couple of stabbing scenes and an off-screen pulverisation; which for most of us horror film fans is the ultimate pay off and the reason we sit through the rest of the tiresome background building sections and introductory necessities! The end is a complete formality and would have been better to have just ended on a blank screen and a decent, well-produced sound-byte...most of which are handled atrociously incidentally...I give it 4 out of 10; one point for each of the deaths and one point for the joyous sight of the end credits appearing. Avoid unless sleepless...this may help!
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