I'm not for remakes. In general. Some are okay, others are great, most just don't do it for me. That said, when I first heard about the face-off, mash-up of THE RING and THE GRUDGE called SADAKO VS KAYAKO I was instantly thinking, "Come On, Hollywood (natch), get on this remake right now!" I need to see not only those two creepy children face-off, but the pairing – or possible brawling – of THE RING actress Naomi Watts and THE GRUDGE actress Sarah Michelle Gellar is almost to cool (hot) for my fanboy brain to take!
But whatever, we are not here to talk about the American remake of SADAKO VS KAYAKO (that will be next week, I'm sure…). No, we are here today to talk about the original – quite likely only version – SADAKO VS KAYAKO. The film is now available starting today on horror streaming service SHUDDER. And we have a surprise for you guys in the form of the first full five minutes of the flick!
Here is the mash-up's synopsis:
Hideo Nakata’s Ringu and Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-On: The Grudge are known worldwide as two of the most terrifying and groundbreaking horror films ever made. To this day, horror fans debate: “Which of the two is truly scarier?” and “Whose curse is stronger, Sadako’s or Kayako’s?” No one ever thought that these questions would get answered, let alone think that we would ever see these infamously horrifying demons face off. At long last, Sadako vs. Kayako brings Ringu’s and The Grudge’s two forces of evil into the ring for the ultimate grudge match.
Responsible for this franchise-blending is director/screenwriter Koji Shiraishi, who is known for creating unconventional spiritual and supernatural scenes in films such as The Curse, Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman, and the Kowasugi series. Now, he brings the characters from Ring and The Grudge back to the big screen as he delivers viewers a wildly fun, tongue-in-cheek thrill ride that finally answers the question: whose curse is stronger?
Watch the ghoulish first five minutes of the film now:
SADAKO VS KAYAKO is available starting today exclusively on SHUDDER