Customer Reviews
Subtle - By: Mr. M. L. Hanford, 26 Sep 2008 
I thought this was actuallly pretty good,no I haven't seen the Japanese original,I have seen both versions of The Grudge though & I was pleasantly surprised by that(the American one),It's a rare thing,a 'horror' film with no gore,no gratuitous violence & thankfully no potty mouths,there is honestly more bad language in five minutes of an Eli Roth film than in my entire DVD collection,possibly even my CDs as well!
jennifer saves the movie - By: micheal zeeland, 13 Jul 2008 Jennifer connely is an amazing actress, & the fact that she's the most beatiful woman on the planet makes looking at her perfomances even more enjoyable. Once again she rescues a movie that would otherwise have been quite average. Her daughter is portrayed very convincingly as well. The story is haunting, heart-breaking & not very scary. Haunting & heartbreaking thanks to the lead actresses, not scary thanks to an uneven script.
Anathema to say so in some quarters, but I preferred this to the original! - By: Music lover., 07 Jun 2008 
I loved the original of "Dark Water" & expected to be disappointed by this, as in the terrible remake of "Ring", but I was very pleasantly surprised to find this was a most excellent movie & better than the original, in that this one didn't leave in what seemed like unnecessary parts, which in the original seemed to drag in places, whereas this one never seemed to lose its atmosphere but continued on with its slow building feeling of dread. The original film seemed to include too much more going on, especiallly near the end, whilst this one kept things more minimal & was therefore more effective for it. Greatly conveyed the feeling of hopelessness & dampness, dripping water, always raining outside, dampness & more dampness, it was everywhere. Obviously very well thought out & full marks to the makers for creating the damp feel which was always there, so you always felt affected by it. Great movie.
good remake but ..... - By: pompeyman, 15 Mar 2008 
I have seen the original & although I preferred that, this is pretty good. What I didnt like was the poor quality of the print. Almost monochrome at times, the picture quality,colour & brightness are very poor for a new film.Just watch some of the bonus footage & the colour & quality are much improved, so why is the film itself so poor? Once again the Americans can find child actors who can ACT. British children just don't seem to have it in the main ( just watch Grange Hill for instance). The little girl in this is brilliant & I don't think she was more than 8 or 9 at the time. Good performances alll round actuallly. Tim Roth is almost unrecognisable & although you cannot say that about Peter Postlewaite, his performance is very good too.I could easily watch the original again but not this one, the quality of the print just spoils it for me. I have dropped a star because of this.
Beautiful and Haunting - By: Dismal Angel, 17 Feb 2008 I don't usuallly like the remakes of films as I think they strip from a film what is reallly pure about it, but this is one remake I can actuallly very much sit & enjoy (and have watched) time & time again.
The story revolves around Dahlia, a troubled woman who grew up in a broken home having endured mental abuse & neglect from her alcholic & bitter mother.
Dahlia is struggling to make ends meet while in the process of a bitter divorce & custody battle with her husband for their six year old daughter Ceci. In addition to divorce proceedings & custody hearings, Dahlia also has to find a place for her & Ceci to live, which leads them to Roosevelt Island to a rather run down apartment complex.
Things start to see strange from the getgo as the elevator seems to have a mind of it's own, phantom hands are felt gripping Dahlia's fingers, & the shoebox apartment they now calll home is plagued with strange dampness & dripping black water right above her daughter's bed. At night, loud running footsteps are heard in the apartment above, & water seems to turn itself on up there.
And then Ceci starts talking to an imaginary friend callled Natasha, & Ceci's insistance that Natasha exists becomes more & more concerning as time echoes on.
The longer they live there, the more haunted Dahlia begins to become by nightmares, visions, & strange events & struggles between trying to keep from losing the last strains of sanity she has & trying to be there for her daughter as her mother never was for her.
If you like movies such as "The Ring", or "The Grudge" you might like this although it seems to be on a much more subtle & beautifully haunting scale as opposed to frightning.
