Ringu 0: Basudei (2001) Reviews

Following the phenomenal success of Ringu and Ringu 2 -- films about a malevolent spirit named Sadako residing in a videotape that kills all who watch it -- Norio Tsuruta directs and Masato Hara produces this prequel to the two horror blockbusters. As a child, Sadako (Yukie Nakama) became increasingly aware of her unusual supernatural powers, inherited from her professional psychic mother. One day in 1957, Sadako's mom gives a public illustration of her uncanny abilities. When a reporter casts aspersions on her talents, Sadako strikes him dead without touching him. Sadako's mom commits suicide as a result of the incident and Sadako develops a split personality. Years later, Sadako is trying to put the pieces back together, working as an intern at a Tokyo theater company. Radiantly beautiful, she grabs the attention of both the company's debauched director and handsome fellow intern Toyama (Seiichi Tanabe). One day, the lead of the new play suddenly keels over and the director casts Sadako as the star, raising the eyebrows of many in the crew and of a young reporter (Yoshiko Tanaka) whose fiancée was the journalist she killed years ago. When the director tries to rape her, he too dies a horrible death. Soon her co-worker begins to wonder if she is a sociopathic murderer, or the victim of powers beyond her control. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi