Grudge 3 Must Be Seen

A young Japanese woman, who holds the key to stopping the evil spirit of Kayako, travels to the haunted Chicago apartment from the sequel, to stop the curse of Kayako once and for all and save a family who are currently being haunted by her malicious spirit (Internet).

Rating: Restricted for violence, disturbing images and some language.

Release Date: March 24, 2009.

Cast:: Johanna E. Braddy, Aiko Horiuchi, Emi Ikehata, Matthew Knight, Gil Mckinney, Shawnee Smith, Martina Sirtis, and Beau Mirchoff.

Director: Toby Wilkins.

Writer: Brad Keene.

Director Toby Wilkins from "Splinter," fame develops a minimalist film that relies heavily on character interaction and story development to produce and entertaining film in the "Grudge," series. Wilkins is the director of one of the best independent films from 2008 and his transition to a minor-league blockbuster comes off with few hitches. The conversations between characters show a purpose in the development of the story while highlighting their bond, especially between a small family living in a mostly abandoned apartment. The story stays in line with previous films, with an unstoppable curse moving from person to person that does not seem to ever find resolution. While adding a untypical horror twist near the end of the film, "Grudge 3," leaves the story open for additional sequels. This film seems to be developing the myth of Japanese hauntings here in North America.

Several directing techniques keep the visual sphere interesting as the bright lighting seems to keep "Grudge 3," in the thriller genre rather than horror. Toby Wilkins changes camera equipment often throughout the film with a focus on the handheld camera for most of camera shots. Wilkins also uses static shots, tracking shots, and a steadi-cam, rarely to add contrast to the logically developing ghost story. Slow pans that move in for close-ups allow for the characterizations to be seen while the cuts between scenes seem on the quick side of the scale. Few scenes or shots are held for longer than thirty seconds, but the constant scene cuts keep the pacing moving along at a fast clip. Most of the filming takes place indoors, with a few outdoor shots in the middle of the film to add contrast to a somewhat claustrophobic film. The lighting in the picture seems overly bright and most of the scenes within "Grudge 3," take place during the day with a few scenes, involving darkness and hallways spicing up the film.

A mostly amateur set of actors make up the cast of "Grudge 3," and Shawnee Smith with Martina Sirtis add some above average portrayals in their small parts. Matthew Knight reprises his role from "Grudge 2," and helps keep the connection between the most recent two films while most of the other cast members are new arrivals. All of the acting seems on par for the characterizations within the film. Yet, none of the actors show a great deal of confidence in their roles or deliver any subtly in their performances with the exceptions of Martina Sirtis and Shawnee Smith. Martina Sirtis from the "Star Trek: The Next Generation," series shows an ability for understatement in her performance as a retired artist; as well, Shawnee Smith from several of the "Saw," films manages to deliver her lines from a place of strength and shows her experience in the horror film genre. Overall, the acting within "Grudge 3," is above average for a straight-to-DVD film in comparison to several other films in this category.

A solid story revolving around an ancient Japanese curse manages to thrill, excite, and enthrall while the limited use of sets and very bright lighting only slightly distract from an enjoyable movie. Clocking in at the average ninety minutes for a straight-to-DVD feature, the "Grudge 3," with its limited budget does not reach exceptional heights, but the film does deliver a cohesive story that adds to the mythos of the "Grudge," film series. The "Grudge 3," can be found online now or at video stores this March 24, 2009.

6 White-Faced Skulls out of 10.