Review

Over to Outsider – I was hiding behind the sofa .....

Okay, I'm pretty surprised. Every once in a while, a movie that you expect to sucketh, actually produces. Who knew it would be the one with Buffy in it? I was duped into seeing this as I fully expected it to waste my valuable nap time. But lo and behold, I, me, this guy, got creeped out.

So what's this weird thing about? I'm sure if you're seen the previews then you know there is a creepy Japanese kid with goofy ass eyes, a girl that looks like she was all set to do The Ring 2 but her agent asked for too much cash, and Buffy has hands growing out of the back of her head. Well, yeah, but that does not really tell you much, does it? This is a remake of a Japanese movie called Ju-on, and it follows it pretty well. What this is about is spirits. At least I think they are spirits; regardless, they are really freaky and have big ol' eye sockets. Apparently, when someone dies in a fit of rage, a curse is born. Anyone from that point forward that comes in contact with the place where this occurred shall feel that curse’s fury. Which basically means, if something bad happens in a house, you damn sure better not move in. There is a reason why you got it for 60% cheaper than every other house on the block.

The story is hard to explain because it bounces back and forth through time. Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in the present story, and as her story evolves, we see, in flashback, the stories that have come before hers. Sarah plays Karen, a home care specialist in Japan, going to her first assignment alone to care for an invalid old woman who stares at the ceiling all day. This is Karen's first day, and what a damn long day it is. Not only does she have to deal with a loopy old woman, she runs across strange noises, sounds of people running behind her, and a mysterious little boy who just so happened to be...uh wait, if I tell you anymore, you won't be as freaked as I was. Needless to say, all is not as it appears and a lot of people are going to pay for being too snoopy.

Like most monster movies this one doesn't pretend to be about the human condition, its all about the monsters yo!

Now let me just say, if you are wanting to see this simply because of Gellar, well, you are going to be disappointed. I would say she is really only in the movie for all of about 45 minutes. The rest is flashbacks and exposition. Gellar is fine in her role, as are the rest of the cast, but they really are just there for something to torment. I would honestly say the star of the movie is the house. There are a lot of secrets in that house, and while you may be able to figure out what happened to cause all this, I seriously doubt you will figure out WHY it happened. And that, my friends is one of the best, and eeriest surprises in the movie.

As for the creepy spirits, or whatever they are: C R E E P Y! Whatever they are, they are seriously pissed off and have no problem going after you relentlessly. There are several great scenes and scares – my personal favorite is in the apartment. You will know it when you see it. 'Apartment 1601, I'll buzz you up.' Freaky. Another favorite is when Gellar is looking through some pictures of one of the departed, and notices a slight repetitive appearance. You might not get it at first, but it becomes clearer later on, and is all the more eerie for it.

You probably have noticed that I am using the words creepy and eerie a lot. Well, that is what this movie is, not so much scary as it is unsettling. After we left the theater, I was still a bit off, not checking the mirror just in case. And that my friends is what a scary movie should do, and rarely does.

If you like:

- Creepy, eerie situations where you don't see what's coming

- Decent acting and an interesting Japanese setting (though it rarely gets used to good effect)

- Buffy the Ghostbuster

- Seeing little kids with giant mouths and freaky black eyes

Then this is for you.

Caution: If you get scared easily and do not really care for that, go rent Shark Tale and leave this for the brave. It is creepy, it is scary, and it is complicated. All the things I love. So go check it out and let me know what you thought. Right now, I have to go. I think I just heard someone running around in my attic.