Dark Water

I don't know what it is about Asian horror, but it always tends to bore me severely. Somehow it just doesn't strike a chord with me and i always leave the theater wondering what was supposed to be so scary. Dark Water is no different. The story here involves a quite common theme in Japanese horror. Namely spirits coming to haunt people. Maybe the thing about me and Asian horror is that i just can't relate to this fear of spirits that seems to exist in some parts of the world. Here the spirit is first demonstrated by strange water accumulating in the main characters' apartment. Later by other things. And all the while, i think "This is nicely done, suspenseful. But NOT scary." And while i can appreciate solid film-making for what it is, i can't help feeling that when i watch horror i want to be scared. And this simply doesn't frighten me any more than most similar movies. I rate it 5/10.

I about turned this one off about 5 times. How people are so enamored with this film is beyond me. The mom is a complete spaz. Off the wall looney and helpless. Very slow moving film. Just drags on amd on. Very disappointing film.

In my opinion, many elements of the movie are just like "The Ring" and "The Grudge". By the way, I think those 2 films are better than this one. It's not scary a lot, the storyline is just ok (I would say basic).

Although I gave both films the same mark, I would have to say that Dark Water is better than The Ring. There is genuine sadness and caring for the characters. The subtleness of the "thrill" will remind you of the Sixth Sense. Really a great movie. Unusual in the decisions made by the lead character, the mother, sets the film apart from what you expect in American film fare. These folks make better thriller/horror films than are made in the States. There is much more imagination.

Yoshimi Matsubara (Kuroki) is a newly divorced mother that moves into an old apartment with her six-year-old daughter Ikuko (Kanno) where creepy things begin happening, which include a strange little girl and a water leakage from the ceiling. Falls into many ghost story clichés, but director Hideo Nakata executes the development and scares wonderfully. The tension builds to a satisfying conclusion, but the conclusion story-wise is a bit of a disappointment; specifically the film's obvious theme of water that seems all unnecessary when the film finally ends. Most people will see it for the scares, and they will be most satisfied. *** (out of four)

4 stars just for the main childe actress , she is just amazing ! Actress playing mother , reminds me of Shelley Duvall in Shining ,same constant big eyes , breathing and the deer in headlights expression ... Can't recommend it at all ...

I only found out that this film is directed by the same person who directed 'Ringu' after I watched the film. It all fell into place why the film's atmosphere matched that of it's predecessor. Using water as it's main disturbing element, the director brings forth a dark and dank shooting location within the confines of an apartment building. Whilst watching this film, I constantly found myself drawing comparisons to 'Ringu' simply because the mood, storyline, music and even the conclusion were all too similar. In this sense, the film lacks complete originality. Whereas 'Ringu' managed to rescue itself from ridicule by injecting an urban myth as it's malevolent force, 'Dark Water' has no such luxury. Like a friend commented, this film could've been made as a 45 min Outer Limits episode. If you're a big fan of 'Ringu', you may wish to watch this film for completeness sake. Otherwise, steer clear.

Hideo Nakata's "Dark Water" is a rain drenched canvas of ghostly horror. Stunning to look at, this film tells a modern-day ghost story. While Asian horror fans will have seen all the trademark ghost cues before (mysterious shadows on black and white CCTV screens, slow moving feet, etc.) this film is so well made, it's an enjoyable ride. While it didn't manage to provide any scares, it's a great tale and well told. Nakata can make even a inanimate object, a red satchel, have an evil, brooding presence. The lead actress in the movie, Hitomi Kuroki, is very watchable as the distressed mother who has moved into the greyest of apartment blocks with her young daughter following a messy divorce. As the film progresses, Kuroki's mental anguish increases as things go from bad to worse. A solid 8 of 10 for visual impact and great storytelling.

I had high hope for this one. I like Japanese movies, and I loved the first two Ringu-movies. Japanese horror at its best. Now, Dark Water is NOT another Ringu. THis is down right boring and silly and not even a BIT scary. So instead of buying or renting this - go se Ringu again.