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The Japanese horror movie that inspired 2004's underrated remake The Grudge, and because the original Japanese director
was used, it is more or less the same. It even shares some of the same scenes with the remake. However, Juon uses
an all Japanese cast in place of The Grudge's American main characters lost in a Japanese setting and doesn't give into the
Hollywood sensibilities the remake sometimes does. On the other hand, Juon has a more splintered, anachronistic feel
than The Grudge's more streamlined, slimmed down plot. In Juon, the movie unfolds with a series of "episodes" that focus
on different sets of characters each time as they encounter the curse at different points in time. Juon also explains
things that weren't present in the remake. But no matter which version you choose, both are just as equally terrifying,
and both never give in to extravagant special effects or gore. Review edit: After viewing the original Japanese
version a second time, I've become even more impressed with the way it sets up its situations. I've also noticed
that it doesn't use the typically American tradition of having a "sting" inserted in the music whenever something creepy
happens but rather just has the scares play out naturally. I'm also finding the boy Toshio even creepier than
before. Without the American version's overused meowing, Japanese version Toshio creeps us out purely on the strength
of his mannerisms and his lifeless eyes, making him that much more effective. Overall I find Juon to be thoroughly
more terrifying than the remake. However, the remake has its strengths as well. Japanese language
with English subtitles Grade: A
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