WebSorve

6/10

Spoilers

_4444444444_ (1998) is the second of two short films that were written and directed by Takashi Shimizu, which serve as prequels to his feature film debut, _Ju-on : The Curse_ (2000). Here, we are introduced to Tsuyoshi Murakami (Kazushi Andô), a young man who just happens to be riding his bicycle around the corner of an old building when he stops to investigate the mysterious ringing of a mobile phone in a deserted alleyway. He looks for it behind abandoned furniture and damaged household items and eventually finds it, only to realize that the call is originating from a very odd number. He reluctantly answers the phone, only to hear the meowing of a cat coming from the other end. He dismisses the caller and decides to terminate the call. However, as he is about to ditch the phone, it starts ringing again. He sees that it is coming from the same number, but answers it anyway, only to be greeted by a similar raspy cat-like sound. [spoiler] He takes a seat on a nearby step and begins to wonder if someone might actually be watching him when he suddenly realizes that the cursed spirit of Toshio Saeki (Daiki Sawada) is sitting right next to him. [/spoiler] Even though the premise is simple, it is extremely effective and showcases several characteristics of classic J-Horror movies, such as the ghostly figure of a child, an eerie or secluded location and a complete lack of a music score. The acting is also more than adequate and the ending is quite satisfying, despite being somewhat ambiguous. And, although it is still one of the shortest short films that I ever watched, it remains a fitting introduction or companion piece to one of be most famous Japanese horror franchises.