(2005) 3.5 Jason Buchanan It's easy to get frustrated with Hollywood when considering the studio system's over-reliance on remakes and at times seemingly paralyzing phobia of producing anything that could be perceived as remotely original -- and for fans of Japanese horror films in particular, the remake explosion has cut especially close to the bone. In rare cases, though, when given time and careful consideration -- and when the original shows promise yet lacks perfection -- a remake can be a truly satisfying and more effective extension of the concepts presented in the original. With his remake of Ring director Hideo Nakata's 2002 thriller Dark Water, Motorcycle Diaries director Walter Salles achieves the rare feat of actually improving on the original, thanks in no small part to the screenwriting skills of Rafael Yglesias -- who realized that a little subtlety can go a long way. Not only are the actions of the characters more believable in the American incarnation of Kôji Suzuki's dark mystery, but by reducing the focus on the now-clichéd creepy little girl with long hair and instead focusing on the mental deterioration of the mother, the strain of her failed marriage, and the frail but loving relationship that she shares with her daughter, Yglesias and Salles allow the viewer to truly connect with the characters before ratcheting up the tension by introducing the supernatural element. While it is true that some of the more explicit "scare" scenes were excised in this version in favor of crafting better-drawn characters, the substitution ultimately makes the end payoff more effective. Even for those who don't have children, it will be difficult not to empathize with the mother who, while quite possibly emotionally unbalanced, does her best to reconcile the trauma of her own childhood, and it's here where actress Jennifer Connelly truly brings the character of Dahlia to life. The supporting players -- including John C. Reilly's hoagie-chomping slumlord, Tim Roth's phone-camera-happy lawyer, and Pete Postlethwaite's crusty superintendent -- also shine, with Salles and Yglesias providing just enough character quirks to allow them to stand out and make an impression. Another performance worth mentioning is Dougray Scott's portrayal of Dahlia's husband, Kyle -- a role effectively expanded in the American version to both give viewers a better understanding of Dahlia's past and enhance the mystery. Though younger audiences may not be able to connect with Dark Water as well as older viewers due to its mature themes and favoring of slow-burn dread over quick-cut shocks, the film remains a shining example of low-key psychological horror that, while remaining true to its roots in the J-horror movement, transcends its mediocre origins to provide chills that run deep and will likely only improve with age.

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Dark Water on AllMovie

Dark Water (2005)

Dark Water

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Adult Situations
Not For Children

genres

Horror

sub-genres

category

Feature

directed by

Walter Salles, Jr.

countries

USA

release date

July 8, 2005 (USA)

run time

105 min.

produced by

Mechanic, Pandemonium Vertigo Entertainment Productions, Touchstone Pictures, Virtigo Entertainment

released by

Buena Vista, Touchstone Pictures

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by Tracie Cooper synopsis

Directed by Walter Salles Jr., this remake of Hideo Nakata's supernatural psychological drama Honogurai Mizuno Soko Kara revolves around the plight of a single mother (Jennifer Connelly) whose messy divorce and subsequent battle for the custody of her five-year-old daughter is taking a heavy toll on her emotional well-being. Ultimately, the mother and daughter are able to relocate to an apartment, which, despite its excessively dilapidated interior, seems to be an adequate location for beginning a new life. Before long, however, what appears to be the spirit of a young girl begins to haunt them. No stranger to mental illness, the wary young woman brushes the visions aside as part of the inherent stress of making the transition from housewife to working, single mom. As time goes by and the apparent haunting does not subside, the apartment's new residents are forced to examine the history of its former tenants. Dark Water also features performances from John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, and Dougray Scott.

characteristics

- Mothers And Daughters

- Single-parent

- Spellbinders

- Spirit

- Starting Over

- Apartment

- Ghost

- Apparition

- Custody-battle

- Divorce

- Ex-husband

- Supernatural-forces

related movies

CUSTODY BATTLES

STARTING OVER

HAUNTED BY THE PAST