Dark Water

Dark Water is sometimes eloquently effective at using familiar, approachable emotions and settings as a currency for fear | Andrew Coffin

Japanese horror remakes are all the rage these days. And for good reason. Most American horror films rely on one of two key ingredients: campy self-awareness or extreme, grotesque violence. These days, most often the two are combined to create an unpleasant mess that appeals almost exclusively to a teenage male audience.

But Japanese horror is played straight, relying on mood, texture, slowly developed dread. Following in the footsteps of The Ring and The Grudge comes Dark Water (rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, frightening sequences, disturbing images, and brief language). Extending even further the emerging genre's reputation for comparative class, the film is directed by Walter Salles (Motorcycle Diaries) and stars Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Pete Postlethwaite, and Tim Roth—all names more recognizable to those who read The New Yorker than to those who read Rolling Stone.