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The Ring

Play trailer 1:28 Poster for The Ring PG-13 2002 1h 55m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 214 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
It sounds like just another urban legend -- a videotape filled with nightmarish images leads to a phone call foretelling the viewer's death in exactly seven days. Newspaper reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is skeptical of the story until four teenagers all die mysteriously exactly one week after watching just such a tape. Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the better of her, Rachel tracks down the video and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery.
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The Ring

The Ring

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Critics Consensus

With little gore and a lot of creepy visuals, The Ring gets under your skin, thanks to director Gore Verbinski's haunting sense of atmosphere and an impassioned performance from Naomi Watts.

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Critics Reviews

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Keith Phipps AV Club 07/25/2014
B+
Gore Verbinski creates an air of dread that begins with the first scene and never lets up, subtly incorporating elements from the current wave of Japanese horror films along the way. Go to Full Review
David Edelstein Slate 07/25/2014
The filmmakers have wisely stayed close to the original's mood, which is somber and flat, with quick (near-subliminal) inserts and a soundtrack full of watery-grave groans and murmurs. Go to Full Review
Richard Schickel TIME Magazine 07/25/2014
An edgy, watchable film, but one that makes you feel more squeamish than screamish. Go to Full Review
Justin Brown Medium Popcorn Oct 22
3/5
The Noah death scene is worth the price of admission but it takes its sweet time getting there...It's a cool movie but is a bit of a chore to get through. Go to Full Review
Brandon Collins Medium Popcorn Oct 22
3/5
It has a few iconic horror scenes and a very specific vibe. But it left me with far more questions than answers and I'm not sure I care to learn what they are...A bit of a frustrating watch despite looking pretty cool. Go to Full Review
David Day Horror Movie Talk Sep 23
9/10
The tone of The Ring is deadly serious, and it lands just right in the quiet of your darkened home on a Friday night. It feels morose and hopeless and creepy beyond compare. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Rebecca 10/24/2022 One of my favorite horror movies! I was excited to see it again in the theatre:) See more Timothy S @TJSubject 1d The Ring succeeds as an exceptional exercise in psychological horror, sustaining an atmosphere of unease from its opening sequence to its final revelation. Rather than relying on gratuitous shocks, the film cultivates suspense through meticulous pacing, haunting cinematography, unsettling imagery, and a narrative that continually invites the audience to question its assumptions. Each revelation deepens the mystery, rewarding careful attention while preserving an enduring sense of dread. The screenplay balances intellectual intrigue with emotional tension, compelling viewers to remain fully engaged from beginning to end. Its haunting symbolism and memorable conclusion linger long after the credits roll, demonstrating why it remains one of the most accomplished, influential, and enduring horror films of its generation. See more Fantazynerd 1 @RT48179632 1d Just don't watch the tape See more KarthiK P. @madkarthi 1d It is good actually. It has a fun tension to it. Throughout the movie I was hoping to see what was going to happen. At the end everything unfolded. I expected something a bit more interesting for the finale. It ended up feeling like a missing part. See more LAA A @LAA84 6d I still remember watching The Ring back in 2002 when it first came out — it felt like a game‑changer for horror movies. The creepy VHS tape, the unsettling atmosphere, and that unforgettable "seven days" line really stuck with me. Revisiting it years later brought back all those nostalgic vibes from when horror films felt more original and carefully crafted. Story: 2/2 Fresh and unique at the time, the concept was chilling and instantly memorable Plot Execution: 2/2 The mystery unfolded in a gripping way, keeping you hooked until the end Acting: 1.5/2 Solid performances, especially Naomi Watts, but nothing that felt truly exceptional Effects: 1/2 Good for its era, they set the mood well, though not mind‑blowing Enjoyment: 1.5/2 Definitely scary and atmospheric, but a few slow moments made it drag just a little Final Score: 8/10 Overall, The Ring is a horror classic that defined its time. It may not hit as hard today, but it still delivers chills and nostalgia in equal measure See more Ryan F. @RT96539978 Jun 20 One of the best horror movies released in the 2000s See more Read all reviews
The Ring

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The Ring

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Movie Info

Synopsis It sounds like just another urban legend -- a videotape filled with nightmarish images leads to a phone call foretelling the viewer's death in exactly seven days. Newspaper reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is skeptical of the story until four teenagers all die mysteriously exactly one week after watching just such a tape. Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the better of her, Rachel tracks down the video and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery.
Director
Gore Verbinski
Producer
Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald
Screenwriter
Ehren Kruger, Scott Frank, Kôji Suzuki
Distributor
DreamWorks SKG
Production Co
DreamWorks SKG
Rating
PG-13 (Language|Disturbing Images|Some Drug References|Thematic Elements)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 18, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 4, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$128.6M
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)