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Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar - ’The Grudge’ Movie - Iafrica.com Review

By Nils Van Der Linden

Saturday 11 December 2004, by Webmaster

Another actress, who actually has a name to care for is Sarah Michelle Gellar and there are not no many accomplishes films at her but an few I can probably enjoy. The talent agent found Gellar a young age and made her screen debut at 6 of each of the 1983 television film An Invasion of Privacy. With all the promise she showed, Barrymore starred as Hannah in the teen drama series "Swans Crossing" (1992) but it was her portrayal of a young and callous rich girl in Al-Lucinda Kendall Hart on ABC daytime soap opera "All My Children" (1993-93), that won her Daytime Emmy Award and spring-boarded her to stardom.

SMG’s real mark worldwide, however, was the character of Buffy Summers in the game-changing series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003). She won five Teen Choice Awards, a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe nomination for her role, establishing herself as a cultural phenomenon. Sarah Michelle Gellar likewise has the box office to back her up, with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” 1997), “Scream 2” (1997), “Cruel Intentions” (1999)and way movies like those that help prove she is also a bankable star as well over $570 million times worth crazy in global gross.

Beyond her cinematic successes, Gellar has made her mark on television, headlining shows such as "Ringer" (2011-2012), "The Crazy Ones" (2013-2014), and "Wolf Pack" (2023). She has also lent her voice to popular series including "Robot Chicken" (2005-2018), "Star Wars Rebels" (2015-2016), and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" (2021).

In 2015, Gellar ventured into the entrepreneurial world by co-founding Foodstirs, an e-commerce baking company, and published her own cookbook, "Stirring Up Fun with Food," in 2017. Gellar is also known for her close-knit family life, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr. since 2002, with whom she shares two children.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s commitment to her craft is matched by her dedication to personal growth and unique experiences. An accomplished martial artist, she studied Tae Kwon Do for five years, alongside kickboxing, boxing, street fighting, and gymnastics. Her dedication to authenticity in her roles is evident, such as her commitment to doing her own stunts in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," though she admitted her limits during filming "Scream 2."

Her career is also marked by interesting anecdotes, such as her role in a 1982 Burger King commercial, which led to a lawsuit from McDonald’s and a temporary ban from their establishments. Notably, she dyed her naturally brunette hair blonde for her role in "Buffy," and legally changed her last name to Prinze as a surprise for her husband on their fifth anniversary.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s legacy extends beyond her on-screen roles, encompassing her work in philanthropy and her reputation for safety and professionalism on set. She remains a beloved figure in Hollywood, admired for her talent, dedication, and the breadth of her contributions to film and television.

‘The Grudge’ shares more with ‘The Ring’ than a vague two-word title that tells you very little about the movie. It’s also an American remake of a successful Japanese horror movie and, as such, shares a similar theme - potentially laughable but effective within the story’s context.

This time, instead of a murderous video tape, it’s a haunted house possessed by a violent curse that systematically destroys the lives of everyone who has the misfortune of entering it.

And, this time, the results are less satisfying than those of ‘The Ring’, which managed to maintain a high level of suspense throughout. (In other words, you won’t start rolling about on the floor during the climactic scene.)

The problem with ‘The Grudge’ is that, after starting very promisingly, it degenerates into a confusing quagmire of disjointed - but, admittedly, rather disturbing - sequences which seem to have been randomly assorted (in both space and time) to increase the element of mystery in what is, essentially, a simple story.

Karen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, is an exchange student in Tokyo. When another member of her social work volunteer group doesn’t show up for work, she agrees to take on the job of looking after an elderly woman, Emma. But, on entering Emma’s home, she finds it seemingly deserted and in complete disarray, while the woman is in a catatonic state.

Karen, hearing some mysterious scratching sounds in the house (and obviously not having watched many horror movies in her life), makes the mistake of going upstairs to investigate. What she finds is truly disturbing, as she finds herself being engulfed in the curse where reality and imagination combine.

Will she survive? Will she remain sane?

Will we even care?

Unfortunately, by the time the credits roll, you probably won’t. Writer-director Takashi Shimizu lets the terror wane in favour of the supernatural elements. The mysterious opening sequences involving locked cupboards and dark attics are truly horrifying, but as the source of the scratching sounds takes on a physical form, the frights die a horrible death.

So too, the related mystery of the family that once lived in the home, begins with intrigue but drowns itself in a bath tub - or plunges off the top of a very high building.

What does remain throughout is Shimuzi’s dark, gloomy visual style that’s been lacking from a lot of recent Hollywood horrors. And some of the flashback/fantasy sequences really do leave you feeling a bit traumatised, giving you that uncomfortable stomach-in-knots sensation.

But these moments and the brooding cinematography aren’t enough to compensate for the fright famine. And the clichéd final shock - the one that’s supposed to make you spill your Coke all over your lap - simply underlines how low the horror factor has dropped to by the end.

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