Reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) investigates the strange death of her teenage niece, Tomoko, who died with her face twisted in terror. Tomoko and three friends had watched a mysterious videotape a week earlier, and all four died at the same moment. Reiko finds the tape, watches it, and the phone rings. She has seven days.
Reiko turns to her ex-husband, Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), who has psychic abilities, to help solve the mystery before time runs out. Their search leads to a volcanic island and the tragic story of a woman with powers and her daughter, Sadako.
The film is quiet and restrained, more of a ghost mystery than a horror show. The tape itself is deeply eerie, full of strange, grainy images. The slow pace makes the countdown feel real, and the final ten minutes are among the scariest in film history.
Some of the investigation drags, and the effects are simple. But Ringu is a masterclass in dread, and its final scene is unforgettable.
