Sadako vs Kayako Review (Japanese Horror Monster Mash)

Synopsis: The vengeful spirits of the Ring and Grudge series face off.

Tagline: None

Starring: Mizuki Yamamoto, Tina Tamashiro, Aimi Satsukawa

Release Date: June 18th, 2016 | MPAA Rating: None | Coolthulhus Earned: 4

Watch the official Sadako vs Kayako trailer here.

–S&S–

Sadako vs Kayako Review

Sadako vs Kayako should have received a wider American release than it got. I think it would have been much more popular than Rings. I liked how they didn’t rely a lot on loud noises to startle me, and instead managed to creep me out with appearances here and there before the big stuff happened. Even though Sadako vs Kayako didn’t exactly leave me cheering, it still felt more well done than much of the American horror movies I’ve watched lately. 

Mizuki Yamamoto did a solid job as Yuri Kurahashi. She has expressive eyes and emoted well, which helped to make up for the distance felt by having to read subtitles. Aimi Satsukawa’s character, Natsumi, was a bit of a wimp, but Satsukawa proved she could pull off crazy on at least one occasion. Unfortunately, Tina Tamashiro’s role was completely forgettable. It was obvious she was just in there because they needed someone to get cursed by Kayako.

Sadako (Ring) is one of my favorite horror villains. I think purely for the creepiness factor of how she moves. That, and the coming out of the TV thing. I swear, even though we’re long past the point where static plays on TV, I still give it a bit of a side-eye for at least an hour after I watch one of the movies with Sadako in it.

As for Kayako, well… I liked the noise she made? I haven’t seen The Grudge (Japanese or American version), so I had very little time to get attached to Kayako. It seems like it would be super easy to get away from her, and maybe that’s part of why I didn’t find her very scary. But the little boy is another story entirely. Holy crap, that little boy is freaky!!

There’s not much of a plot to Sadako vs Kayako, but considering the premise that’s kind of to be expected. The first three-quarters of the movie is just the director and producer building up the reasons to have these two monsters fight it out. Though there were still some legitimately creepy scenes before then.

I was hoping for a lot more than what I got from Sadako vs Kayako, but I wasn’t disappointed with what I received. (I hope that makes sense.) I watched the trailers, and I was all goggle-eyed and “Ooh, fight! fight! fight!”. In my head I think I was expecting some sort of Godzilla versus Mecha-Godzilla showdown, you know? An epic battle that would destroy lots of stuff and be absolutely awesome and… you know. Stuff and thangs!

Well, the ‘epic battle’ lasted for maybe 5 minutes and there wasn’t much of a battle to it. One of the characters pretty much keeps handing the other one her buttocks on a platter. Of course, the de-buttocked one keeps coming back for more. However, before that can even get properly going, it’s over.

Overall, though, Sadako vs Kayako was a fun, mindless watch. I can say, though, that I’m absolutely not tempted at all by what they tease at the end. I just don’t feel like that needs to happen. I can’t imagine it doing anything other than failing horribly.