Review #85: The Grudge 2 (2006)

Cast/Notable Credits:
Takashi Shimizu (Director): The Grudge

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Karen): Buffy

Amber Tamblyn (Aubrey): The Ring

Arielle Kebbel (Allison): American Pie: Band Camp (2005), John Tucker Must Die (2006)

Jennifer Beals (Trish): Flashdance (1983)

Sarah Roemer (Lacey): Disturbia

Teresa Palmer (Vanessa): Wolf Creek (2005)

Edison Chen (Eason): The Dark Knight (2008)

Matthew Knight (Jake): Skinwalkers

Jenna Dewan (Sally): Tamara (2005) (pictured right)

Takako Fuji (Kayako): The Grudge

Ohga Tananka (Toshio): The Grudge

Trailer:


Tagline:
What Was Once Contained, Will Now Be Unleashed

Plot:

The creaky, stair surfin', bone displacement, dead, Japanese girl (Kayako) and her eerie, pale, little son (Toshio) are back to kill more folks. BHA! The Grudge 2 finds our lovely, insane Karen in a mental hospital after attempting to burn down the house following the death of her boyfriend from the first movie. Her ill mother in the states sends her sister, Aubrey to Japan to find out what happened and bring Karen home. The movie encompasses three stories following the lives of Aubrey, three schoolgirls living in Japan, and a family living in Chicago in different time periods. Which the film basically jumps around in the timeline telling how the curse leaves the house and expands abroad through three different subplots.

Yes, there is a curse in Chicago. Sorry Cubs Fans, you're not the only ones in danger.

So Aubrey flys to Japan to find her sister a little off the rocker. Buffy is staying in the hospital after attempting to burn down the house. She is still troubled by the vengeful spirits of the curse. A reporter, Eason has been following the case, and befriends her sister Aubrey at the hospital. Who wouldn't want to befriend her? (Amber Tamblyn pictured left) They search to get to the bottom of whats going on. Eventually Eason catches on about the house and guess what? Someone goes to investigate the house. Very bad things ensue.

And back to my favorite, the three American schoolgirls plot line. That plot...well shows off sweet, young, fantasy ridden schoolgirl hotness mixed with a little death. Allison has just recently moved to Japan and two other class mates (Vanessa and Miyuki) decide to initiate her into their society by locking her in the closet of the haunted Grudge house from the first movie as a prank. Not a good idea, because if we learned anything from the first movie, don't go into the house. Unless you want to die. And let's just say things go according to plan.

Around the world in Chicago we follow the lives of the Kimble family, Bill, Trish, Lacey and Jake. Trish and Bill have just recently married and she is moving into the family's apartment. Jake is not taking the new family member with great enthusiasm and struggles to accept her. Jake starts to observe weird occurances...maybe vengeful...around the apartment complex once a mysterious figure arrives. But it's not Sarah Roemer (pictured left), that is Jake's hot sister.

This sequel really lacks in punch. It uses similar if not the same creepy sequences that the first film made. Like...another shower sequence. Again, two words: PAN DOWN! They modified the sequence by having the girl's hair fall out instead of hands crawling out of the back of someone's head. Hint: the picture of the beautiful girl on the right leads to the shower scene. Teresa Palmer and her tidy whities! And they use the "under the sheets demonic kill" again. When you can't bring anything new to the table, I guess you add some more people into the mix and use the same ole' bag tricks. Simple formula: quantity over quality.

What the film really brings to the table is eye candy. Yep. Like Bugs Bunny would say, "That's All Folks!" Plain and simple, male enjoyment. Nothing speaks to the male psychie more than showing off hot women. It's one of the only things that makes this film barable to watch. It has schoolgirl outfit looks, shower scene, Sarah showing off her cheerleading outfit, and a girl's locker room scene. Kick Ass! Unfortunately they didn't go down and nudity paths.

Returning is Buffy of course. Adding to the mix is three sweet little schoolgirls, Kebbel (pictured above right), Palmer, and Misako Uno. Buffy's Hollywood hot sister in the film, Amber (runs in the family I guess), and a few Chicago residents, Jenna and Sarah. And throw in Jennifer for some MILF.

This film is a perfect example of Hollywood seeing the cash receipts from the first film and slap-packaging another one to satisfy the crowd. And make a quick buck. Either the franchise should have died with that one, or they really need to make up for it in the third movie. Let's leave on a positive note: Kebbel pictured below.

Misc. Movie Trivia:
-Film opened on October 13, 2006 and made $39.1 million at the Box Office ($20.8 million opening weekend)
-Sony Pictures green-lit the project three days after the first's movie release
-Not a remake of Ju-On: The Grudge 2; it follows a different storyline