I can't for the life of me understand why this didn't receive a theatrical release. It was released in theater all over the world this past year to moderate success and finally received it's first US release with a January straight-to-DVD release. I have to imagine that the nerd loved combo of Nathan Fillion (Firefly/Serenity) and Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) would have been enough to open it stronger than most comparable Japanese-style horror films. It's certainly a better movie than the first White Noise (and basically unrelated). It's also the 2nd or 3rd best Japanese-style American horror movie, behind only the first Ring and on the level with the first Grudge. It's easily better than its predecessor, the sequel to the Ring and Grudge, Pulse, Dark Water, The Messengers, and (I'm assuming) One Missed Call and any others I've forgotten to mention. Nathan Fillion, as usual, gives a strong performance, much better than would be expected of the part. He consistently gives performances that are far stronger than would be expected from the roles he is often cast in (Serenity, Waitress, Desperate Housewives, Slither) but I'm sad that he has yet to have a 'breakthrough' role in terms of the general public. Katee Sackhoff, who does good work on Battlestar Galactica and was the best part of NBC's putrid Bionic Woman remake, is quite good in a very different role. The film, though marred by the putrid editing typical of the genre and mediocre direction, actually works fairly well and, unlike so many horror movies, is fairly satisfying throughout (until a somewhat out of left field ending sequence reminiscent of Pulse). I'm saddened that this wasn't given a theatrical release (can you honestly tell me that this thing with a decent trailer and ad campaign wouldn't have opened to the same $15 million that One Missed Call did?!?) as it could have raised appeal for two actors whose work I appreciate, even if it's in a not-so-great movie. Definitely worth it for Fillion, Sackhoff or horror fans...not so much for anyone else.
Overall Score: 5/10
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