The Grudge: It never forgives. It never forgets.

Janice Tarlecki

The Advocate

“Buffy” (Also known as Sarah Michelle Gellar) may have starred in “The Grudge,” but there were definitely no laughs or vampires. The first 10 minutes were so intense that I considered walking out, but I stayed out of commitment and curiosity.

I won’t see it again. For those who enjoy gut-wrenching, in-your-face, psychotic images that nightmares are made of, you have found your thrill. When they handed out promo items to the critics and I received a gel-mouse pad filled with blood, I figured I was in for a ride. Considering a few of the other movies Sam Raimi has produced, like “Evil Dead”, “Evil Dead 2”, “Darkman” and “Army of Darkness,” this fits the profile. But, his credits are even longer, into some blockbusters like “Spiderman”, “The Flintstones,” and “Spies like Us.”

This was a stroll alongside reality, into a tease of mental ability to predict the growing, evolving “presence of evil” that kept popping in and out, along a timeline that jumped ahead, backtracked and overlapped in order to draw the audience in and explain each new “possession” or murder. It was a little bit choppy, but an effective way to tell the entire story – a way that probably brought more interesting suspense than a regular horror movie. It was kind of a cross between “What lies beneath” and “The Ring,” but with far more gory details.

The opening panning view of the bay, into the balcony bedroom of a wife (Maria) calling to her husband, sweetly saying “you’re up early,” almost lulls you to a soft dreamy state, right before the husband (Peter Kirk, professor) leans over the rail, plunging headfirst into the street, several stories below. Apparently, “a curse is born out of death born in rage.” In this case, that would involve betrayal, in the oldest most predictable form, but without any of the predictable results.

If you enjoy things grabbing you under the covers, or out of a clogged sink, or from behind taped closet doors, or from the attic, and eerily guttural sounds, reminiscent of “Predator,” right before the evil grabs you. This movie will not disappoint. There is just enough CSI style discovery throughout, to keep one guessing and figuring, and a part of “the grudge,” right up to it’s very predictable end.

Hey, it’s not brain surgery, but it’s a sure thing to get your heart pumping and change the way you look at atticks and girls with long, wet, black hair. I bet you won’t sleep alone after this one.