Kuchisake-Onna 2 (2008)

It's not a sequel - It's a completely different movie!

I'll have to agree with the review made by AkitoKouyou - It really was like watching a completely different movie, when compared to the first one. And honestly; it was. (Do you guys know the "sequels-that-are-not-actually-sequels"? Because this is one of those things.)

If you are trying to spook yourself for the night; this movie is not it. Rather than something scary that would make me unable to sleep for the next week, I found this movie tragic and pretty saddening. So for me, as a horror movie, it's pretty disappointing.
The movie does have good points though. It's not a *bad* movie. Is it great? I wouldn't say so. But it does have a certain value to it. It definitely has more story than the first "part", or the original movie. If you have heard of the urban legend of "kuchisake onna", I'm pretty sure you would also consider this story more likely to be the "backstory" of the legend. The first movie seemed very unlikely to me.

In the first movie, we started of with a rumour of the "kuchisake onna", which gave it the horror / spooky atmosphere from the beginning.
I think that this movie has failed to bring that atmosphere to the viewer, as the movie has started with cheerful music, bright settings and overall a very cheery vibe. This has continued to more than halfway through - and for me, it just felt too prolonged. It's not bad to start off on a cheerful note - But it was just dragging on and on, that I just said, "Heck! Am I even watching the right movie? Isn't this just some slice of life?!" It did a good job in explaining everything though, and the plot twist, although expected, really was a plot twist.
For someone who has no idea what this movie is about, it'd be sure fun to watch, as from the happy-go-lucky atmosphere it becomes a very dark concept.

Would I watch this movie again? Probably not, unless someone wants to watch it with me.
Would I recommend it to my friends? Yes, but not as a horror movie.

I do suggest you watch the first part and this part as two separate movies, and not as a sequel and prequel. They have nothing in common... And if you expect that, you'll be very disappointed. (I hoped for the continuation of the first part soooooo bad!!!)

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