10 Movie Remakes That Ditch Classic Elements

This is admittedly a complex one to unpack, since it’s the long-awaited sequel to the 2004 American remake of Ju-on: The Grudge. The original Japanese film loaned the majority of its plot to the American version and its sequels.

Kayako Saeki, an onryō or vengeful type of spirit who curses anyone who enters the house she haunts, is truly this series' most iconic imagery of this franchise. That long black hair, wild eyes, and jerky spider crawling is absolutely terrifying.

What’s more, The Grudge manages all that terror without an over-reliance on SFX. Remember those days when films had to use practical effects because CGI just wasn’t up to scratch? Yeah, those were the days. Kayako hits bang in the middle of the uncanny valley too: she teeters right on the brink between human and inhuman that makes your skin crawl on sight.

Some might call it a bold move that the 2020 release does away with Kayako almost immediately, and replaces her with gorier, more visceral versions of the vengeful ghost archetype.

Considering that the bulk of The Grudge’s original scariness came from Kayako’s unsettling performance of weird noises and inhuman movement, for this new version to ditch her so early on and then rely so heavily on gore is such a huge departure from the original. Anyone can splatter fake blood around a bit, but it takes much more skill to make a horror film without it.