This sequel to the 2004 film directed by Takashi Miike offers up more of the same, but without the directorial flare that helped distinguish ONE MISSED CALL from generic Japanese ghost films. The plot extends the back story several decades into the past, moving much of the action from Japan to Taiwan, but attempt at doing something new does not extend to the basic formula, which remains unchanged: people get a message on their cell phone foretelling their deaths, and at the appointed time, they die.
ONE MISSED CALL 2 never truly addresses the central problem inherent in its sequel status: ONE MISSED CALL treated the J-Horror formula as if it were exhausted; it seemed to want to mark the end of the trend. This was made most obvious during the film’s highlight, when one victim’s death is broadcast live on television, underlining the absurdity of a plot gimmick wherein characters know exactly when they will die but are powerless to avoid their fate. Continue reading “One Missed Call 2 (2005) – Film & DVD Review”