Ju On 2 is a little bit of a cop out. As it is a TV movie, I can understand the reason for doing this, but even then, it smells of lack of metrial or laziness on the makers part.

The first full 30 minutes contains 0 new scenes and is in fact 30 minutes taken from the end of the original Ju On. It’s only after the first initial 30 minutes that story progresses.

The guy’s sister who felt the chills entering the house (and was not a colleague, my bad) in order to approve its selling, is not investigating the history of the house further.

Since the selling of the property, the brother who made the sale is living in the apartment that belonged to the teacher in the first movie, where his pregnant wife was murdered, and the child torn out of her womb by the owner of the first property which was sold.

If this makes no sense, don’t worry, if you’ve seen Ju-On you’ll understand. In any case, the dead teacher’s apartment, due to the murder commited there also contains a Ju-On due to the hateful way in which the pregnant lady died. There, the son of the guy who sold the house, and now owner of the apartment becomes entangled with the Ju-On while watching some sort of “dodgy” video – that little pervert!

In any case, knowing this information, his aunt (the lady who felt the chills multiplying) visits the apartment to find her nephew shivering and shocked. The neighbour calls round to say she heard a child and woman screaming, the aunt respectfully indicates there is no woman or child there (except her). Returning to the nephew, he stares into the next room.

It’s stronger and more cohesive than the first Ju-On or it is for the last 40 minutes

The aunt (who is psychic), opens the next room to find a bizzare visual reply, as though through a scrambled channel of the death that took place there and goes into an orgasmic shock, possibly exploding in her pants – she probably gave the same look during sex, and its not a bad look. I would ably assist to achieve that look, it’s almost a duty.

Prior to becoming possessed by the Ju On of the apartment, she left the documents leading to her discovery of the previous occupants of the apartment for her brother. While the above is going on, he reads the documents and discovers the truth and rushes home.

By the time he gets home, his sister is possessed by the Ju On of the apartment (must weird to see your sis in a permanent look of orgasmic pleasure), and the son in shock – he takes them to his parents place.

This presents its own problem, as the sister is now mental, the son still in a permanent daze, the guys mother is now becoming possessed and the father reveals to them that he knew the daughter had a psychic ability as he has it too.

Upon on this revelation, he tells his son to move out, or he would become possessed too. The son promptly returns to move out, but receives a call that the new occupants of the house called to ask him to stop by. As it happens, the new occupants are also possessed as they mysteriously receive the diary of the dead occupants which contains some sort of malevolance within it. The lady having whacked her hubby over the head with frying pan, is the spirit of the original dead occupant, the first Ju On, and intends to kill the brother – which occurs with some real freakiness

The first full 30 minutes contains 0 new scenes and is in fact 30 minutes taken from the end of the original

The deaths are of particular note here, as they go a little OTT, and the acting is less hammy than before. As you’re drawn into the world, you actually become interested and engaged with what is happening, while at the same time trying to piece together what the fuck is going on as there is quite a lot going on at once.

The second half is obviously better than the first for those that have already seen the first. However, for those that haven’t. I would suggest watching this before watching the first one. Or you can skip the first 30 minutes of this.

It’s stronger and more cohesive than the first Ju-On or it is for the last 40 minutes, and for that cop out it gets me a touch annoyed.

Overall then, it adds to the story, and provides more of an explanation, provides better chills and at least some character development. It can also be watched on its own as it is, without the first film – however, psychologically the 2 signia would warrant you to watch the first.

Verdict: Chillier than the first, a good follow up – if a little short