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The Grudge

STORY: A detective investigating a murder encounters a haunting mystery.

REVIEW: Although this reboot of the 2004 US remake of ‘Ju-On: The Grudge’ builds on the mythology of the Japanese horror franchise, it introduces new characters and new ghosts. The story begins with Detective Muldoon (Andrea Riseborough), who is called in to investigate a murder. The detective is a single mother, raising her son by herself. She begins to encounter increasingly odd circumstances, and Muldoon soon realises she must defend her son and herself from inexplicable supernatural forces.

Screenwriter and director Nicolas Pesce seems to have some exciting elements to play with. He establishes multiple, overlapping storylines that make for an intriguing setup, as different families are affected by the grudge. But his ambitious ideas can’t take off due to a stunted screenplay. Eventually, we barely spend any time getting to know these families, so their fates don't quite matter. This proves to be the film's undoing. Even though the cast is certainly game, with some talented people putting in ample efforts to make their respective characters resonate with the audience. Of note are John Cho and Betty Gilpin as Peter and Nancy Spencer, a young couple into the real-estate business, looking to start a family. On the other end of the spectrum, Frankie Faison and Lin Shaye as William and Faith Matheson respectively, are struggling with age-related disorders. But character development is a lost cause with such a muddled plot.

The film’s prime focus is on delivering constant spooks. Irrespective of whether you fall prey to the numerous jump scares or not; you can't help feeling there could be more than mere audio-visual shocks. However, all opportunities to instil any psychological fear are repeatedly squandered. What’s left is a mishmash of potential ideas that are unexplored because of the need to pander to horror fans. Despite a haunting tonality that’s faithfully maintained throughout, ‘The Grudge’ is likely to leave most viewers unsatisfied.
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