Amber BransonOne Missed Call - Chakushin Ari
DVD covers for Chakushin Ari and One Missed Call
In Japan, the film was Chakushin Ari. It was remade in the U.S. as One Missed Call. As usual, the remake did not fully live up to the original -- the acting is lacking, and it was "enhanced" with additional computer-generated scares, such as people with corpse faces and centipedes with personal space issues.
The ringtone is different--not entirely surprising, considering it even changed between the Japanese film series and the Japanese TV series based on the first film--and I think I prefer the Japanese version.
Much was kept the same, however.
(Warning: Some spoilers for both films)
The deaths are approximately the same, as are some of the events surrounding them. Falling onto a train from an overhead bridge, impalement, death-during-televised-exorci sm...
Additionally, the themes of child abuse are set up almost identically, with the main character attending a psychology lesson regarding the theme, the highlights of which are echoed in the events of the ghostly killings.
The main character's history is also similar in the remake as in the original, as is the resolution of the mystery, although the ultimate end of the movie is different in an unfortunate way.
(End spoilers?)
It is unfortunate that the actors could not support the potential the story had, almost all giving rather flat performances.
The premise remains interesting, though, and on visual and conceptual levels it's good for a thrill.
