The Grudge, Give a Review of 2004 Film

In the tradition of "Ringu" (which shares producer Taka Ichise), Japanese horror has emerged as popular fodder for American remakes. Here Takashi Shimizu re-imagines the third film from his own "Ju-On" franchise, which started out as a straight-to-video series but quickly ended up in Japanese theatrical release thanks to word-of-mouth. Although the two movies are at times strikingly similar--some of Shimizu's sets and even shots are constructed exactly the same--the American version had the budget for slicker special effects and has clarified the non-linear plot for an audience that requires a more definitive resolution.…