MaximumMadness Filmed and released at the same time as it's predecessor "Ringu" (or "Ring", which inspired the hit American remake "The Ring"), "Rasen" (or "Spiral") is an ambitious idea. The theory behind releasing both "Ringu" and this sequel at the same time was that it would increase profits, as "Ringu" was already a successful book series and television series. However, while the 1998 release "Ringu" became an international hit, this sequel didn't sit well with people, as it is of a different tone and altogether different genre, and it wasn't as big a hit. Hence, it became the ignored, "forgotten" sequel, and was overshadowed by another sequel "Ringu 2", which was released a year later, that eliminated "Rasen" from the series continuity. (Basically, "Rasen" is to "Ringu" what "Highlander 2" is to "Highlander"- a forgotten, non-canon sequel that people ignore) However, as the film was still made, and is easily obtainable (even in the US, where it is included with all three of the other "Ringu" films in a boxed set), I feel I should give my take, as a fan of the original film."Rasen" is actually not a "bad" movie, but I will say, as a sequel, it is quite misguided. I hear it follows the original novels more closely, which had more of a Sci-Fi flair to them. But as "Ringu" was changed into more-or-less a standard ghost story, this sequel's focus on the science of it was too awkward for many.It begins soon after "Ringu"- a pathologist named Ando is called into work to perform an autopsy on Ryugi, whom as you will recall was killed in the first movie. However, during the autopsy, strange things begin to happen, and Ando is haunted by various phenomena. Eventually, he hears about the cursed video tape, and decides to watch it and solve the mystery of the vengeful being Sadako himself, with the help of Ryugi's former assistant Mai.The film delves deep into science-fiction territory, with constant talk of viruses, cloning, etc. And without spoiling anything, the final act is very much a cautionary tale about science gone out of control. Which is why it conflicts with the ghost-story established in the first film. This is not a horror movie, this is a Sci-Fi film in the vein of "The Matrix" or "Dark City", though the battles are fought with words and not fists.But I will say to its credit that this is still a fairly interesting film. The acting is halfway decent, the direction is alright, and even though it drags, if you can get into the Sci-Fi tone, it will keep you watching until the end.I'd say if you're a fan of the series, check it out. It's not really a strong film, but it's worth seeing. I give it an average 6 out of 10. Not as good as "Ringu" or even "Ringu 2", but not awful, either.

Matthew Berard You ought to know that in Japan, this movie was released simultaneously to Ring. The idea was that you saw the original, and then saw the sequel, a great idea for money. Unfortunately, it wasn't a great idea for two separate crews to work on these movies, because this one is complete trash, when compared to Nakata's "Ring".Though you might like it. A few people do. The characters are boring, the dialog is uninspired, and it's too complicated. However, people see through that and find the goodness this movie offers.You should watch Rasen with no anticipation for it to live up to "Ring" because both movies head in different directions. Nakata uses the setting to darken the mood, while Iida concentrates on using familiarity and stagnant settings to give feeling. Lastly, this movie approaches science to explain the curse. This is why people banish this film from its existence - it abandons Nakata's horror and feels like it was slapped together.But enough about comparison. Lets concentrate on the acting in this film. Sato Koichi (who takes on the role of Ando Mitsuo) acts well, overall. But his acting seems to get better, and then worse, and that is just no fun for anybody. Such as the sub-plot of his suicidal issues. Sometimes, you'll just feel edgy for how cheesy the situation, others, you'll feel compassionate about his issues. His character also feels undeveloped, but this is because this movie takes on different roles than the proper storyline in the novel. The main character, in essence, feels broken.Tsurumi Shingo plays Miyashita, who is just great. He really does feel like his counterpart, and it just makes me want to cry. Seeing him and Koichi on screen is just excellent. Those scenes are the ones to look forward to. Later on in the movie, he gets to show off his acting skills as his character becomes a major counterpart in the story.Saeki Hinako plays Sadako Yamamura, who delivers one of the best performances any Sadako/Samara has. Yes, there is things to like in this movie.Nakatami Miki plays Takano Mai, who is a mixed bag. When she is by herself, she is all over. You'll be impressed. When she's on screen with somebody else, she just looks like her mind is focused on other things, like as if she's staring at some crew equipment. But she does improve, at the end of the movie. (I did mention spoilers, and that will be the last three paragraphs. Don't worry, I'll warn you) This movie does have something to tell, but fails to execute it. I've questioned if the crew responsible for the movie even read the book properly, because it is so unfaithful to the source material (explained in spoilers) that it makes me sick. But after all, this is a movie adaptation, and it does not fail at that.So, what is this even about? Ando Mitsuo is a pathologist who has to perform an autopsy on Ryuji Takayama early in the movie (his fate is explained in proper fashion in "Ring", unless you haven't already guessed). They were classmates in medical school, and Mitsuo feels burdened with the task of cutting his body open. While investigating, he finds an unusual tumor in his neck as well as a slip of paper laying in his stomach, revealing a code. Mitsuo, with his partner Miyashita, explore and find out about four teenagers who died under suspicious circumstances. They also bear the same unknown virus as Takayama. Then Yoshino steps into the picture, claiming information about Sadako Yamamura and a copy of the cursed video with a ridiculous premise. Mitsuo watches the tape, and then is forced with a decision dealing with humanity's extinction with Sadako pulling the ropes in the background.**/***** SPOILERS! Below is spoilers to the movie. These last paragraphs reveal even more concerns with this movie, but are unnecessary to read. If you have not seen this movie, everything read until now should be satisfactory enoughYou should know the real story behind the cursed video. In short, 30% of it is Sadako's DNA, since she was the one who made the video. The other 70% is smallpox. The smallpox comes from the man who raped Sadako prior to her death. Therefore, the viewer can successfully become pregnant to Sadako if she is a woman and is ovulating while watching the tape.In fact, in the novel, it is clearly learned that Mai Takano was the first person to impregnate Sadako. One thing that irritates me is that when we see Sadako re-born on screen, she looks EXACTLY LIKE MAI TAKANO. What were they thinking? I was so confused when I watched it! I've never liked this decision, because it is so unthoughtful of the crew to have left something like this in the movie. It just doesn't make sense. Since the host, Mai, acts like the incubator for Sadako, and since Sadako's DNA is not modified in any way with Mai's... it is just too confusing. And this isn't the only movie guilty of this "crime"... the Rasen TV series has also built upon this idea.If you have read Rasen, you will probably enjoy it because it's an intelligent medical thriller, explaining the supernatural ways of Sadako with science. However, this movie makes the explanation feel like excuses. This is because Iida has destroyed the explanations and modified them... and god knows why. It would've just made more sense if he hadn't tampered with the formula.

SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain I just want to start by saying I don't find this film anywhere near as bad as most seem to. The mistake is viewing this as a direct sequel to "Ringu", made at the same time by a different director it of course does not have the same feel, or menace as its predecessor. Since most people will watch the original first the change in tone is hard to accept. A lot of people also declare this to detach itself too far from the original and explain too much of the mystery with science. When in fact the first two Ring novels have a firm root in science. I also found "Ringu 2" to be just as guilty at favouring science over the unknown, the difference being "Rasen" does explain things thoroughly. The major disappointment here is that I never really felt anything close to fear, or even uneasiness. However in terms of drama, and expanding on the first this film succeeds. The cinematography is just stunning, and the final scene is a scene I find just as disturbing as the ending of "Ringu", not in a fear inducing way, but in a contemplative sort of way. It is also a beautiful scene, and the whole film is well shot. Unlike "Ringu" the acting is a mixed bag, Koichi Sato just about holds up, but as the lead he seems to struggle with acting with emotion, which is a minus considering his character deals with suicide. Overall I think the film should be watched, as a side-note to "Ringu" but judged on its own merits, as it certainly surpasses many scientific thrillers around.

ctizon I really won't go into the history too much about how this became the "forgotten" sequel to "Ring", because you should all knows this story by now. I WILL, however, say that it flopped and was quickly forgotten, because people who just sat through a long-haired spectre emerging from a television set with a huge eye and murdering a main character in cold blood had to then see her emerge from the television and make out with the main character this time, naked and hot.I didn't understand this movie at all at first, until I read the two Ring novels. I am completely obsessed with this franchise, and know everything there is to know about the character of Sadako- even how she is defeated in the fourth book, even though the third, fourth, and fifth books haven't come around to being translated yet.!!!*MAJOR SPOILERS*!!! Leaving out the fact that Sadako is a hermaphrodite and was raped by a man with smallpox makes little sense to the story, as this was a huge part of how it all happened. Much of the movie completely diverged from what happened in the novel. Like in this, Sadako is reborn as Mai Takano, not as herself, so the main character has sex with her thinking she is Mai's original self. In the book, Sadako was reborn as herself and said she was Mai's sister Masako. However, it never completely throws out the aspects of the novel that make the story complete- they just don't mention it. So, if you take these aspects into account, the story is great, and had the film been made with as much care as the novel, it would have greatly succeeded, and there would be no point in making "Ring 2", which in my opinion isn't as good as this movie, even though I enjoy that one, too. That one was sort of made as a prequel to this one, and even stole a few of "Spiral"'s plot points. Therefore, you know it can't be all THAT bad...8/10 Recommended only if you know the complete story about Sadako Yamamura and how her video curse/virus came to be.