RINGS (2017) Movie Review

As an enthusiastic fan of The Ring and The Ring 2 , I have always mused over the concept of Samara's curse with today's digital world. The incredible conclusion of this franchise, Rings , occurs twelve years after The Ring 2 with new characters, new back-story, a new killer video, and the same Samara.

In The Ring , Samara exposes her adoptive family and the tragic circumstances of her murder.

In The Ring 2 , Samara's biological mother exposes Samara's fears and explains a method of her possible defeat.

In Rings , Samara concludes the family dynamic by exposing her biological father and the horrifying circumstances of her birth.

Evil begets evil.

Another pattern emerges. Much like the fearless reporter, Rachel, whose son Samara stalks in The Ring and The Ring 2 , she also stalks Julia who fearlessly watches the video to save her boyfriend's life. She choses to watch the video ready to sacrifice her life. Samara is attracted to fearless people.

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we ave not fully experienced his perfect love.” (1 John 4:18 NLT)

There is no love greater than sacrifice. It is a beautiful love. It is an attractive love, even to an evil ghost girl. It is a love that could have put an end to the curse from the beginning. The solution that could have saved hundreds of lives and prevented The Ring 2 and Rings is simple. Courage and sacrifice.

The urge to save oneself drive people to continue making copies of the tape. The more copies, the harder it becomes to erase the video. With every year that passes the videos multiply. Fear makes the curse go viral, but courage could put an end to it. Somebody, anybody, could watch the video, not make a copy, and use their remaining seven days to destroy as many existing videos as possible. With courage and sacrifice Samara would meet her end.

Instead, the drive for self-preservation keeps Samara alive. It gives her the gift of digital video and a platform on which to take the world by storm. She could wipe out the human race.

Does Julia's selfless act come too late? Will anyone be able to stop Samara's wrath? Without self control and sacrificial love, the world is forever doomed. Only love can stop the evil.