Hideo Nakata, most famous for directing THE RING, brings us a very emotional and chilling ghost story that has achieved critical and commercial success, in and outside of Japan.
Yoshimi Matsubara fights to gain legal custody of her five-year old daughter, Ikuko, while the two live together in a dark, sullen and musty apartment building.
Already insecure and uncertain about her future with her daughter, Yoshimi is haunted by a life-like, murky water dripping through the ceiling and walls, and by the almost taunting appearances of a small red bag that once belonged to a girl who……
Hideo Nakata’s name has become known worldwide for box office hit THE RING, and if you haven’t seen it you’ve no doubt heard about it.
Well aside from that one film Mr. Nakata is well known in Japan for his later work DARK WATER and the familiar formula was improved by giving it a hearty injection of real life drama.
Not only has DARK WATER got a lot more drama and believable characters. The acting is also excellent and a lot more memorable than that from THE RING.
In THE RING the characters were just sort of there, but in DARK WATER they make their presence felt and as a whole they all feel like real people.
Most notably is Hitomi Kuroki who is outstanding as the mother and portrays motherly instincts flawlessly.
Rio Kanno is excellent as the 8 year-old daughter, Ikuko, and has to be the only child actor that doesn’t annoy the heck out of me (that’s an achievement).
I don’t want to go too in depth about the story because it’s one of those beautiful storylines that cannot be described in words, something that you really need to experience first hand.
The cinematography has the same gritty atmosphere just like THE RING and Hideo Nakata has obviously established his own style for ghost films.
Musically you can expect the same from the team of THE RING and if you enjoyed the soundtrack in that, you’ll enjoy the music of this.
In many ways DARK WATER is superior to Mr. Nakata’s previous cult hit, and expect to hear a lot more about DARK WATER because fortunately (or mostly unfortunately) there will be an American remake.
Give this movie a go and if you aren’t moved by the story you have a heart of stone.
