All through the movie I was never really sure if the main character was actually crazy or if there was really something supernatural happening to her. Once the reveal is shown as to what is actually happening you definitely get a fake out for a soft ending. Then once the actual ending comes I was left speechless because in my mind that is not how I wanted the movie to end. All in all it was a very good movie and very good acting. If you haven't seen it give it a watch.

I had to be DRAGGED to the theater to sit through yet another HIDEO NAKATA-Japanes horror inspired movie. I'd suffered through the RING movies before and couldn't think I could stand this. But I was actually surprised. It's actually a GOOD FILM, very melancholy, and that a film of that sort -- which aspires and competes with mindless summer blockbusters a la FANTASTIC FOUR -- dared to tackle such somber issues as child abuse, bitter matrimonial feuds, and others of that sort shows you that this was not meant to be a simple succession of red-herrings stitched together. It actually dealt with issues many of us go through or have gone through in our lives and I thought it was very perceptive in some ways.

The script (when not dealing with the supernatural) was thoughtful and intelligent and each and every characters from CAMRYN MANHEIM's kindly teacher to TIM ROTH's benevolent lawyers were very well sketched out. The direction and rich photography helped keep the tension high throughout.

The bulk of praises, however, belongs to JENNIFER CONNELLY. I've always been in awe of her beauty and her talent, esp. in her last outings: REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, A BEAUTIFUL MIND (hated the movie, liked her AND RUSSELL), but here, she literally makes this movie worth sitting through by providing the necessary gravitas. I don't think I've been touched by a film character like this in a long while. She emoted so naturally and effortlessly, it was heartbreaking to watch her self-immolate in the prison that that new apartment of hers was.

Not only is she beautiful, she's truly a marvelous actress. She did for this what NAOMI WATTS -- and I love NAOMI -- couldn't for the RING movies. I always sort of thought that NAOMI was going through the motions in those films. Also, the problem with the RING movies is that they suffered much in the "remaking" process and the scripts, quite frankly, were sub-par both times around.

But back to DARK WATER. I was struck with the rapport JENNIFER had with the young actress who played her daughter. They were so natural together on screen... perhaps her having become a new mother in real life contributed to her being so effortlessly maternal on screen.

All and all, a wondrous performance in an erratic but good (if depressing) movie.

It's easy to understand why so many people appear to have issues with Dark Water. For a film billed as a horror film right during the huge glut of Asian ghost movie remakes, it doesn't have a single scare that works. What it does offer are strong performances by the entire cast, but especially Jennifer Connelly as a struggling single mother who moves her and her young daughter into a trashy apartment building that's haunting with the spirit of a vengeful little girl. If you look at it as more of a tense psychological drama, you might be more apt to enjoy it for what it is.