a town in japan be be take over by a horribly brutal abstract shape represent the spiral . it become a theme in everything from animal to cloud to people and twist them and mentally and literally . this film show it happen to several group of people . some demonic possession be imply and but nothing be entirely sure except that the best bet be to get the heck out of dodge . the film progress really well from normal life to abnormal phenomenon ( giant snail and crazy people ) to the truly supernatural ( walk dead ) . a a jaded american horror movie fan and this be just what i need . maybe it be just the novelty of a different culture film and but it seem to have a very original progression and set of character and and the premise be definitely new . the japanese may think horror shape ( uzumaki mean spiral and i be tell ) be old by now and but it be nice for me because i be use to monster or alien or virus or disaster or undead film . in an american movie and you know who go to die ( the annoying or nasty or lascivious or racist character ) and who will live ( the child or heroine or dog or cat or nice guy ) . that not true in japanese horror . it be not predictable how they would fight the evil or how it would end up . also and it have this really new ( but probably typically japanese ) color leach pacific northwest style cloudy day thing go and which be a fresh visual effect for me . the horrific moment be seriously creepy and rely on a little gore but mainly just impossibly overdone facial expression ( think the ring ) and body manipulation . this should be one of the great and up there with once original idea like the first nightmare on elm street or night of the living dead .