Grudge, The

Can’t We Just Be Friends?

Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, Clea DuVall, William R. Mapother

Director: Takeshi Shimizu

More suspense than slasher horror, this moody flick is definitely successful in sending shivers down the spine, and while there are moments of true jumpiness, mostly the movie relies on a brooding, wispy tone that is, more often than not, successful.

Gellar stars as Karen, an enchange student in Japan who takes over the job of nurse/assisted care person in the home of an elderly American woman. The house is pretty spooky right off the bat, which should have been a clue, but fortunately for us the characters in these types of movies don’t take the hint and clear off at the earliest opportunity. The older woman is lost in a coma, which gives Karen plenty of time to walk around the place looking concerned, with mood music playing in the background. Apparently the place was cursed a long time ago, and a sort of supernatural plague hangs over the house. Earlier owners die in the grip of a powerful rage and apparently hold a, well, grudge against the living. I would think they would want to take a chainsaw to the house itself rather than try to kill innocent new tenants, but that would be a different movie altogether.

Did I like this one? Sorta. I don’t mind looking at SMG, and I certainly had plenty of time to admire her beauty. The visual flair of this movie is good, and certainly enough care has been placed into setting the mood. For horror movie lovers, I can recommend this one with reservations. The plot is hash, but has a few good moments.