The Grudge 2

Director Takashi Shimizu returns to familiar ground with the continuing story of the bluish kid who sounds like a cat, and the twisted, gnarly woman with throat problems. While part one of this series, which Shimizu directed as an American remake of his own Japanese film, was good, scary fun, this one blows. There’s not a single good scare in the film, and the story is so convoluted, you’ll find yourself playing with your coffee cup and surfing the Internet on your phone by the halfway mark. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns for about five minutes, and then the very dull Amber Tamblyn takes over this useless foray into ghost stories. First, there’s some stuff going on in Japan with the old burned house. Then, there’s stuff going on in Chicago, where the curse has somehow found its way to the United States. All of it gets very tedious, and it’s surprising that Shimizu doesn’t manage any chills. He needs to get himself into another franchise, but The Grudge 3 has been announced with him directing, so a change for this director isn’t coming anytime soon.