take place immediately after the event of ringu ( 1998 ) and ringu 2 feature mai takano ( miki nakatani ) continue the investigation into the event of ringu . at the beginning of the film and reiko ( nanako matsushima ) and yoichi asakawa ( katsumi muramatsu ) be still in hide or on the run after their ordeal in ringu . both the police and mai be hop to find them . meanwhile and masami kurahashi ( hitomi sato ) and one of the two girl from the beginning of ringu and be now in a mental hospital and the police have the remains of sadako yamamura ( rie inou ) body and theyre try to recreate her living appearance through forensic modeling and and they have locate a man who be supposedly sadako father and takashi ( yoichi numata ) . series note represent a should be apparent from the above description and it imperative that you watch ringu before see ringu 2. you may also wish to watch ringu 0 represent basudei ( 2000 ) before ringu and and for fun and the original ring 2 and rasen or spiral ( 1998 ) before or after this replacement sequel ( this one be produce when audience be dissatisfy with the very differently tone rasen or spiral ) . unlike rasen or spiral and ringu 2 be so close in tone to ringu that it seem more like a second half than a sequel . also unlike rasen or spiral and i think that ringu 2 be much more uneven . there be long swath where the film be extremely bland . but there be also moment of brilliance and plus there be added value from the momentum of ringu . they all average out in the end so that ringu 2 earns an 8 and or a b and just a rasen or spiral do . many fan be dissatisfy with rasen or spiral head off into sci fi territory and on the way provide something of a scientific explanation for what turn out to be a ring virus . they think it ruin some of the mystery from the first film . it curious in that light that many of those same fan like ringu 2 much good . there be also an attempt here at explain the curse and and it also end up in sci fi land . there even a see that amusingly resemble sci fi element from john boorman underrate exorcist ii represent the heretic ( 1977 ) . for much of the film and the ring curse be more or less abandon while the focus become yoichi a a surrogate villain and perhaps as possess a regan be and just by a slightly different force . admittedly and though and the explanation for the curse in ringu 2 be much different than it be in rasen or spiral and and despite the sci fi and the strong mystery genre investigation element that many love so much in ringu be weave throughout the plot . the sci fi here be more psychological than rasen or spiral medical sci fi . there be a lot of talk of intentionality and theory of intentionality be physically manifest . the film ontology have it so that mental energy and emotion and thought can be suppress and subsequently concentrate to such an extent that when release externally and they can be dangerous to others . sadako and the chairperson of the ringu villain and be the principal and most focused example of this and primarily because she have 30 year in a veritable isolation chamber to effectively bury her thought . be this an attempt to provide a subtext about the suppression of one real feeling and desire in japanese society . maybe and but it doesn not work very well a such because the point be so shakily and ambiguously and infrequently realize in the film . so we have to evaluate ringu 2 more on it surface level . a lot of the film be a fairly pedestrian drama . early ostensibly horrific event such a the perusal of reiko apartment and death of support character and possible ghost appearance and and the supernatural event surround masami in the mental hospital too often come across a a bit flat and almost banal . ringu 2 be nothing if not a slow cooker . it improve and but very gradually . by the time we get to one particular and very significant death and the film be cook with full gas and but that nearly an hour into a 90 minute film . before that point and ringu 2 be much closer to a 7 and or a c and if not slightly low . i would not mention who die in this pivotal scene and but it be beautifully realize . we never really see the body and but instead nakata show u bright red blood slow flow across pavement and trickle down crack and fill up depression . from here to the end and ringu 2 be much more even and often a 9 or above . the bulk of the atmospheric or creepy material arrive in this last half hour to forty minute and such a the videotape of another young girl suddenly change and her head bizarrely and violently shake similarly to an effect first make popular in jacob ladder ( 1990 ) . another standout moment be at the yamamura family hotel and when both sadako and her mother eerily appear . by the time the climax roll around and the film be quite exciting and and nakata forgoes dramatic sci fi for more focused and horrific surrealism . like ringu and there be a climactic scene in a well and this one much more enigmatic and possibly mean to be a symbolic journey to the core of the pent up emotion associate with sadako ( oppose to a more journey to hell styled symbolism of ringu ) and with the emergence from a light fill ring represent the physical manifestation and release of the emotion through a person eye ( eye be important ring like metaphor or symbol throughout the film ) . in the finale and nakata also more literally combine the ring symbolism with the series ubiquitous water symbolism water more than likely be use to represent a kind of unify spiritual ( kamic might be a good word ) ether that permeate the world . of course and he still leave an opening for another sequel as well . unlike many film and ringu 2 be impossible to evaluate properly in isolation . it must be contextualized with ringu . it may be far from an excellent film on it own and but it certainly above average when view in conjunction with the series .