Ringu

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Ringu

1998

1h 36m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

When her niece is found dead along with three friends after viewing a supposedly cursed videotape, reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) sets out to investigate. Along with her ex-husband, Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), Reiko finds the tape, watches it -- and promptly receives a phone call informing her that she'll die in a week. Determined to get to the bottom of the curse, Reiko and Ryuji discover the video's origin and attempt to solve an old murder that could break the spell.

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Critics Consensus

Ringu combines supernatural elements with anxieties about modern technology in a truly frightening and unnerving way.

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

Sep 16, 2022

Its strength is in its simplicity and its cultural purity.

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Alan Stanbrook

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Sep 16, 2022

Almost nothing terrible is shown: the real horror lies in the viewer's anticipation.

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Andrew Pulver

Guardian

Sep 16, 2022

A most artfully creepy piece of work.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

6 days ago

4/5

A frontrunner of the J-Horror era—which took the world by storm during the late 1990s/early 2000s—this is a genuinely creepy movie full of imagery that will haunt you long after the credits roll.

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

Oct 29, 2025

4/5

Artfully mixing footage formats to achieve a visual texture commensurate with both the tone of the story and Kinji Kawai's eerie score, Nakata inexorably builds the suspense right up to the chilling climax.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Aug 25, 2024

10/10

Decades on, it remains one of the great works of horror cinema.

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Layla G

@RT96510299 Aug 30, 2026

This movie, unlike what some may say, is weirdly calming and scary at the same time. There is no negative things to say about this film, other than mentioning the slight irritation I felt from Ryuji and Asawgawas chemistry. Beware of the occasional raise in volume when the scenes get intense. As for the plot, it drives off of Asawgawas love for her son Yoichi and her care for her ex-husband and the need to solve the situation. With that the characters have depth and you are able to understand them. After watching it, you'll also notice that there are many other movies that take inspiration or even just reference this movie. Without a doubt, it is a primary face of Japanese horror.

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J H

@UpstateNYThriller Jul 22, 2026

9.6/10 1998 Original Ring movie from Japan People watch cursed video and then die one week later Dubbed Japanese version One of the best horror movies of all time

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Nerlens Emil E

@Itzgreeny11 Jun 27, 2026

Great atmosphere, classic and iconically all round-circle ring type.

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Zoor M

@ZoorMoth Jun 27, 2026

Minimal dialogue. Haunting. Ethereal. Would recommend.

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Kalissa H.

@kali_416 Jun 21, 2026

Really good and unsettling. The well scene was suspenseful.

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Todor Y

@Phantom961 Apr 24, 2026

It's good but i like the remake from 2002. Way better handled history and acting.

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Hideo Nakata

Director

Nanako Matsushima

Reiko Asakawa

Hiroyuki Sanada

Ryuji Takayama

Miki Nakatani

Mai Takano

Yuko Takeuchi

Tomoko Oishi

Hitomi Sato

Masami Kurahashi

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Synopsis

When her niece is found dead along with three friends after viewing a supposedly cursed videotape, reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) sets out to investigate. Along with her ex-husband, Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), Reiko finds the tape, watches it -- and promptly receives a phone call informing her that she'll die in a week. Determined to get to the bottom of the curse, Reiko and Ryuji discover the video's origin and attempt to solve an old murder that could break the spell.

Director: Hideo Nakata
Producer: Takashige Ichise, Shinya Kawai, Takenori Sento
Screenwriter: Kôji Suzuki, Hiroshi Takahashi
Distributor: Golden Scene [hk], Potential Films, Califórnia, Primer Plano Film Group S.A., Anolis Entertainment, Toho Company Ltd., Kadokawa Shoten Pblshg, Haut et Court
Production Co: Omega Project, Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co.
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 31, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 21, 2019
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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