I first heard of "The Ring" two years ago, or at least the Japanese version. "It's one of the scariest movies…ever," the online reviewer said. Shortly thereafter I learned that an American version was in production. My two year wait ended this weekend, and I must say, it was well worth the wait.

The movie’s premise is chilling, particularly in this era of mass communications: a person views a mysterious videotape containing (seemingly) random symbols. After viewing the tape, the person receives a phone call informing them that they have a week to live. A week later, like clockwork, the person drops dead. Naomi Watts (Mulholland Drive) plays Rachel Keller, a journalist whose niece dies as a result of viewing the tape. She watches the tape too, and finds herself a victim of its curse, and now must solve the tape’s mystery.

Rather than going for the gross-out, "The Ring" opts for atmosphere, a rarity amongst modern horror films. There's relatively little gore, and a majority of the scares derive from the horrifying revelations concerning the tape that Keller discovers. When all secrets come to light, and the tape’s true nature is revealed, the viewer can’t help but to leave the theatre disturbed. Much like "The Exorcist," this film shows that pure evil does exist.

The past few years have seen a proliferation of over-hyped horror films that in the end fail to deliver. Not "The Ring." This is genuinely one of the most terrifying films ever, ranking alongside "The Exorcist," "Halloween," and "The Omen."