2002, PG-13, 115 minutes

The Ring is a creepy, dark film along the same lines of The Sixth Sense and Stir of Echoes, and while in some ways it is actually superior to both of these films, it has one fatal flaw that makes it merely an enjoyable experience rather than a modern classic. The flaw is that the story writes itself into a corner and doesn't really leave itself any options for a compelling or satisfying finish. The result is a gimmick ending that brings down the rest of the film, and you just wish you could go back and change the last five minutes.

For the most part The Ring is surprisingly underrated. Both the striking cinematography and the sound track help to convey a deep sense of fear and mystery, and the way the story unfolds is truly engaging so long as you are willing to buy-in. Even more important is Naomi Watts, who really made a name for herself after a superb performance in last year's Mulholland Drive. She may not be entirely convincing as a journalist, but she does manage to ground the movie in reality despite the absurdity of people dying from watching a video tape, and it is because of this that we don't dismiss the film outright.

Overall The Ring is certainly one of the better films of its genre, but is sadly tarnished by a disappointing and somewhat ridiculous finale. Even so, I still recommend it to fans of suspense and mystery.