Hideo Nakata, director of the original Japanese Ringu, took the reins of this English-language sequel, following Rachel (Naomi Watts) and her son Aiden as they relocate to a quiet rural town, only to discover the vengeful spirit Samara has followed them and is now attempting to possess Aiden's body. As Rachel digs deeper into Samara's tragic origins, she must confront the cursed videotape's mythology directly rather than simply escape it. The film leans further into supernatural mother-son horror than the original's cursed-media premise, trading some of its predecessor's dread for more overt scares. Though a critical step down from the first film, it remains a notable entry in the early-2000s J-horror remake boom.