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The Grudge Movie Review: Andrea Riseborough and Jon Cho’s film is a scare less and predictable snoozefest
The Grudge Movie Review: This Nicolas Pesce directorial is extremely predictable and has nothing new to offer to the overtly used horror genre. In spite of earnest performances, the storyline lacks intrigue even though it’s about several murder mysteries.
Movie Name: The Grudge
The Grudge Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin
The Grudge Director: Nicolas Pesce
The Grudge Stars: 2/5
What happens when you make a remake of a film which was a remake of a Japanese horror classic? You get beyond predictable and plenty of jump scare sequences that do the exact opposite of frightening us. The Grudge was made with the intention to bring in more fans to the horror franchise but unfortunately, the end does not justify the means.
Going along the lines of its predecessors Ju-On: The Grudge and the Sarah Michelle Gellar starrer The Grudge, this Nicolas Pesce directorial chronicles the horrors surrounding the Reyburn house and the various family murders that lead back to the ’prime‘ real estate landmark. While the investigation of Fiona Landers killing her entire family is shut as a cold case, the newly assigned detective Detective Muldoon (Andrea Riseborough) takes it upon herself to solve the Reyburn house mystery when a mysterious body is found inside a car, obviously linked to the Reyburn house. The biggest mistake she makes enters the haunted house of horrors as she follows the same path of those who are now deceased; engulfed by the madness of the evil spirits following her every move.
When it comes to the performances, Andrea tries her best to inculcate some emotional aspect to her good cop just trying to solve a mystery persona but is failed by the shoddy script. The most interesting character in this horror flick is Detective Goodman (Oscar-nominated actor Demián Bichir), who is the only smart one to not enter the haunted house unlike his partner Detective Wilson (William Sadler) whose descent into madness triggers him to stay away. At every given turn, we’re made to believe that Goodman is somehow related to the murders taking place. Whether it be referring to his Catholic side or even the entire Wilson storyline of whether it was fact or fiction. However, until the very end, you are left wondering what was the reason for Goodman’s existence in the plotline if all he was relegated to was an outsider peeking into the story like the audience. Even the scream queen Lin Shaye as Faith Matheson can’t give us the creeps this time! Jon Cho and Betty Gilpin as Peter and Nina Spencer add a tinge of humanity to what could have been a clear cut supernatural spectrum but again, it’s the weak script that ruins the fun.
The horror genre is such an overused concept that it’s extremely difficult to be unpredictable. Unfortunately, The Grudge falls into said predictable category. It has all the trademark aspects - a haunted house, evil spirits, flicking lights, spacy closets, characters with families and so forth. While the background score gives is that warm, guttural feeling of eeriness, the jump scare editing is a major buzzkill. For someone who scares easily, even you will be left saying wtf! The Grudge has nothing new to offer... not the storyline nor the creative ways to scare people. Even the slightly horror-induces parts all have made its way to the trailer for the films. What’s even more disappointing is how anti-climatic the horror flick was towards the end leaving you disheartened.
If you’re looking for a horror film that would be perfect to fill the palates of your scary appetite, we’d recommend rewatching the 2002 Takashi Shimizu classic instead and give this Nicolas Pesce film a skip. Or else you might be the one ending up with a grudge!
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