SPOILER DISCUSSION

1.Why did the other Detective live so long if he’s stepped inside the house? Obviously he’s lived for a while after entering the house. It ruins the plausibility of the scares. The eye gouging was great though so I can’t knock on it too much. For what it’s worth, I started laughing at how he started causally saying the house had a “grudge” or “ju-on”. It’s like wow, way to be subtle.

2. Honestly, two of the characters that end up dying only do so because the enter the house for no reason. Like, what? It’s absurd. In what world does a realtor think it’s a good idea to use another key to open up a house if he’s knocked for minutes with no response? Or a cop enters a house with no response without any back-up at all when she’s brand new on the force? I wish the setup to the entering felt more justified, and I know it could’ve been because of how the Mathesons are introduced. Moving to a cursed house because you need to be close to doctors is awful and also understandable. It’s totally justifiable as to why an elderly couple who might be on a fixed income would move into a murder house especially when it’s close to their doctors. I wish this was the case with the other characters.

3. As much as I like John Cho, the subplot involving his character feels like it should be cut out to help develop the main plot and the two other subplots more . The origin of the curse and the reason the Landers start fighting is never explained. Are they doing it because its supposed to emulate Kayako’s tragedy or something else? Yes the visual reveal of it is fun, but its set-up is lacking.

4. The ending made me smile and really had me happy. Yes- it could have been more subversive or original but the way it was executed was amazing. The fake out happy music, the bright shiny colors finally coming out, and the hug between mom and son all make it feel like maybe something nice will happen. Honestly, if I hadn’t watched the other movies it might have got me. The cut to the real son walking out to the shriek to the sudden silence in front of the house left me completely stunned in the best of ways.