Cresting the wave of Japanese horror

Supposedly the next big thing in horror films from Japan, the third entry in the “Ju-On” series, written and directed by Takashi Shimizu, arrives with plenty of hype. There is already a U.S. remake due in October, also directed by Shimizu and produced by Sam Raimi, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Bill Pullman. The Japanese horror remake has definitely achieved trend status for American studios, with remakes of “The Ring 2” (scheduled for release in November) and “Dark Water” in the pipeline.

The first two movies in this series were shot and released on video in 2000 as “Ju-On” a.k.a. “Ju-On: The Curse” and “Ju-On 2” a.k.a. “Ju-On: The Curse 2.” They were big hits in Japan and have a cult following internationally among fans of Asian cinema. The latest film was actually called “Ju-On: The Grudge” and was followed by “Ju-On: The Grudge 2,” both released in 2003 -- however, the U.S. release is simply titled “Ju-On,” and the American remake is called “The Grudge.” Got that?

Good, because that’s nothing compared to the convoluted plots of the films, each revolving around a horrific event in the same house and the continuing curse that befalls it. The four Japanese films are variants on one another and not, strictly speaking, sequels. In fact, the films are closer to being remakes, made up of sequences of scenes separated by title cards, each referring to one of the characters. The sequences repeat various stylistic motifs and jump around in time, intentionally muddying the chronology.

“Ju-On” (or the third “Ju-On,” if you must) opens with a series of grisly, grainy shots of a family covered in blood. This is the most stylish part of the film visually, and Shimizu then moves to a more realistic look.

A young home-care worker named Rika (Megumi Okina) is sent to the normal-looking house in a quiet neighborhood to check on an elderly woman living with her son and daughter-in-law. When Rika arrives, the woman is on the floor and in shock, obviously terrified of someone or something. The house is disheveled, and there is no sign of either the son or daughter-in-law. Rika hears noises and goes upstairs to investigate.

To reveal any more about the plot would be a spoiler, and suffice it to say that what follows is indeed scary. However, the film’s repetitious, episodic structure seems to unnecessarily alleviate the building tension, making it a far less frightening film than it might have been.

The production values are predictably low-key, and some of the effects are fairly cheesy. Aficionados of Japanese horror may enjoy scrutinizing the variations Shimizu applies to each of the sequences and trying to make sense of the plot, but it could be rough going for others. With Shimizu having obviously mastered this horror sequence, it will be interesting to see if he brings anything new to the American version or to future projects.

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‘Ju-On’

MPAA rating: R for some disturbing images.

Times guidelines: Supernatural horror and some blood.

Megumi Okina...Rika Nishina

Misaki Ito...Hitomi Tokunaga

Misa Uehara...Izumi Toyama

Yuya Ozeki...Toshio

Takako Fuji...Kayako

A Lions Gate Films and Vitagraph Films presentation. Writer-director Takashi Shimizu. Producer Taka Ichise. Cinematographer Tokusho Kikumura. Editor Nobuyuki Takahashi. Music Shiro Sato. Production designer Toshiharu Tokiwa. Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes.

Exclusively at the Landmark Nuart Theater, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles; (310) 281-8223.