As entertaining as "THE RING" is, it's still frustrating to watch. The main reason for this problem is because it's so effective for the most part, that when there's a sudden gigantic plot hole, it makes one want to scream in anger, instead of horror!  There's nothing wrong with "subtlety," or not spelling everything out for an audience, but the plot should make sense.  Unfortunately, by the end of "THE RING," audiences will be left scratching their head trying to make sense of why certain things have happened. This isn't because the film's deep, but rather, because it doesn't make sense in many ways.

Based on the Japanese thriller, "RINGU," "THE RING" revolves around a reporter delving into a mystery surrounding the death of her son's babysitter.  At first, she's just a bit curious after hearing her friends discuss other mysterious deaths, while at the funeral. But, soon enough, she finds that a videotape is supposedly cursed, and that whomever watches it receives a phone call immediately following the viewing, warning them they have 7 days to live.

The entire environment created by the director, Gore Verbinski, is eerie, and different than almost any other horror film we can recall.  And, the actual "videotape" image does get viewed by the audience as well, but comes across as more disturbing than scary.  It's comprised of bizarre, nightmarish images, akin to some of the more disturbing experimental films from Dali.

Naomi Watts does a decent job in the lead role, but her supporting cast, including the child actor playing her son, is adequate at best.  It's disappointing to see an actor as gifted as Brian Cox, with so little to do here. The mystery around his character is so convoluted that we see what's about to play out with him before it happens.

All in all, "THE RING" does provide its share of scares, and while it fails at achieving the "intelligent" horror film status it aspires to, it's still entertaining.

DREAMWORKS has preserved the film's 1.85:1 aspect ratio, with 16:9 enhancement. Colors are solid, although intentionally never too vibrant.  There's great detail in every scene, and the image is flawless!  Contrast is amazing at times, offering some of the deepest blacks and grays we've seen so far.  It's essential to have clarity in the dark scenes which are frequent here, and it's always there. Fleshtones appear natural throughout.

DREAMWORKS has provided options for either Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1.  Both mixes are extremely aggressive and effective.  While there are long moments of silence, the bass associated with the "wham" of a surprise, is extremely entertaining and crowd-pleasing!   Surrounds are used mostly to heighten the tension of a scene, employing separation effects in the front soundstage.

The DTS version offers noticeably better bass control and overall fidelity, however the Dolby Digital mix is still extremely effective.

A short featurette, "DON'T WATCH THIS," is offered.  Made post-film, specifically by Verbinski for this release, it's interesting, but still confusing.  Several trailers have been included, but not one for the actual film.