Ring, The

Before you die you should see "The Ring", a considerably unsettling thriller relying heavily on disturbing imagery and effective dialogue.

A remake to the 1998 flick "Ringu", "The Ring" puts Gore Verbinski behind the camera, taking the viewer on an atmospheric ride into the unknown and presenting a positive rift in an inevitably dead genre that has lacked any sort of life since "The Sixth Sense" came to theaters in 1999.

A mysterious video tape has locals living in fear aware of the attached myth involving the death of its viewers seven days after watching its content. After her niece meets an unusual demise, an investigative reporter sets out to unravel the mystery of "The Ring" and more so after seeing the video for herself and realizing that time is working against her.

The film's prologue is cleverly crafted. There's little explanation as to what is taking place, but the viewer has no doubt the 'tape' will hold a key part in the events to come.

"The Ring" relies on little violence to terrorize its audience. Instead it presents a series of vividly frightening visuals and spine-chilling one-liners, most notably that in which our main character states plain and clearly that before you die you see 'the ring'.

Watts is sensational, turning in a tremendous performance as a single mother who desperately seeks reassurance from her son who is unknowingly inspiring to her attempt to track down the origins of the sinister videotape.

It's unusual to find a supernatural thriller in which all of the elements fall seemingly perfect into place, but "The Ring" does just that and makes it look easy. With a deeply moving script, slick visuals and a magnificent cast displaying their every talent, "The Ring" is one of the creepiest thrillers I've ever seen and will inevitably have a string of followers in the future to come.