This will probably be one of the shortest reviews I ever do because I don’t want to dwell on this movie or its story too long. Honestly, pondering stories such as this one leaves a terrible scar on the mind. And I don’t need that.
The buildup for this story was interesting. There was lots of foreshadowing, an engaging mystery, and growing suspense throughout the story. Plus, near the end of the movie, the story left audiences with a lot to think about in regards to love, motive, and new beginnings. But then . . . the real ending pops up out of nowhere and leaves a bitter, sulfuric taste in one’s mouth.
The plot makes it seem as if Samara only wanted to be put to rest after her mother had killed her and sealed her in a well. But this idea is a red herring. The girl Samara really was evil, kills the main character Rachael’s love, and continues to haunt others through copies of her demented video . . . just because. Samara destroyed Rachael’s chance at a new life and beginning with her family.
To be honest, this movie horrified me because evil won in the end. Not only that, but Samara was a child apparently born to be evil. The filmmakers probably gave Samara a child’s face because people usually regard children as pure and innocent. She, like the poor girl from The Exorcist, became a new terror to haunt cinema. No one could stop her. No one could avoid her. The only way to survive her coming was to spread her evil. This idea is definitely not right.
When doctors asked Samara why she did what she did, she simply responded she wanted to hurt others, but she was sorry. She had no real motivations beyond killing and spreading her story.
This story along with others like The Grudge (2004), The Exorcist (1973), and others lie. We do have power over the evil around us and within us. We can escape and in the end, all will be made right as evil, with its many names and forms, diminishes and dies.
I don’t understand why people want to watch films like this. I wholeheartedly do not recommend watching this movie. I believe time can be better spent. I did not gain anything from seeing this and am reminded why I have avoided horror films such as this my entire life.
From the Perspective of an Old Soul 