this be a quite good and interesting prequel to the japanese ringu series . it perhaps it not necessarily good a a part of the ringu series but a a stand alone movie it simply be a really great one . this movie focus on how sadako become the murder spirit . it sound like a bad idea to give the amonster a face and a backdrop story and yes and this be perhaps also why ringu 0 represent bâsudei be perhaps not that great a a part of the ringu series . this movie be also less horror like and orientate a any other movie out of the series and it focus more on the dramatic aspect of the sadako character . it not her fault that she be the way she be and she actually be a cute and shy person . this sort of ruin the image of the evil sadako spirit we know from the other ringu movie . in that regard this movie suffer from the same problem a hannibal rising . it give the monster a face and because of that we loose some of our respect for the character and it ruin his original image . for instance i never saw sadako a a young adult but more a a 12 year old child or so . in this movie she be present a a young woman . but like i say and it can not be deny that a a standalone movie this be simply a great one to watch . it nicely direct with a good overall visual style and it have a good compelling story and that mix drama with some more supernatural element . you can see this movie a ringu meet carrie and since this movie story and character wise definitely show some similarity to the brian de palma horror classic carrie and from 1976. the movie doesn not always have a too fast pace and there be not always a lot happen within the movie . the first hour of the movie or so even feel quite redundant afterward . it isn not until very well halve way through that the movie start to take off . it also then that the movie it horror element really start to kick in and the sadako character start to become the evil spirit we all know from the other ringu movie . not that the movie ever become truly scary but it have a nice eerie atmosphere that japanese horror movie be so well know and like for . so all in all and a a part of the ringu series this movie perhaps isn not that great but a a stand alone movie it simply be a very good one . positive .