I really don't understand modern Japanese trailers. At all. Usually I am kind of on board for what they are selling for the first half, then some absolutely godawful "song" kicks in and they start showing unappealing quick cuts of what they probably think are money shots. If it works for the local audience that's all that matters, though.
Sadako vs Kayako being rated "G" is pretty cool. This'd be an "R" in the US just based on "scary images".
I haven't been on board with these flicks since the very first RINGU and the original direct-to-video JU-ONs so I'll probably sit this one out as well. I haven't even watched TOMIE VS TOMIE yet and that was a concept that kind of made me chuckle.
I like the original Ring, but I was bored to death by most Ju-on films (I saw the VCinema film, which was kinda ok, and the first two theatrical films, which put me to sleep). Can't say I'm looking forward to this one, although Shiraishi is kind of an interesting choice as director.
And yes, Japanese trailers suck. I've almost missed some good films because the trailers were so horrible, for the exact reasons you mention. The pop song thing is especially irritating. Sometimes, rather often in fact, the film only features the song in the end credits.
Do you know when they started making this the formula for any and all trailers? I'm guessing sometime in the 90ies as vintage trailers from the 70ies and 80ies are still free of this nonsense as far as I know.
I had a good time with this when I ended up watching it despite some initial misgivings. It plays fast and loose with both series' established rules (I'm pretty sure you originally had a full week until Sadako killed you, while here it's been shortened to a mere two days and when did Sadako gain the ability to make people explode by twitching her eye?) but I appreciated that it takes itself deadly serious despite its utterly ridiculous premise. Masahiro Komoto is fun as a university professor obsessed with urban legends. There is some CGI at the climax but it was of OK quality. I liked how they ended the film as well. It's probably faint praise but ultimately this was a better "vs" flick than Ronny Yu's FREDDY VS JASON (2003). The biggest laugh I got out of the whole thing isn't due to Koji Shiraishi or his team, though, but the guy who translated the - otherwise perfectly fine - subtitles! How can anyone think that subtitling a Shinto exorcism with "Abra Cadabra Expellibus!" is a good idea?
