Countdown to Cannes 2010: The Films: CHATROOM

Director Hideo Nakata might not be the most recognisable of names in today's film-making environment, but the name should definitely be sparking a few deep-rooted memories among some readers. For Nakata was the man behind the original, often-copied, barely bettered 'Ringu', as well as 'Honogurai mizu no soko kara', which would go on to be remade as 'Dark Water' with Jennifer Connelly in a poorer cross-Pacific remake, and he is a director who deserves your attention, and after his latest offering, I think a lot more heads will be turning in his direction following this year's 63rd annual Cannes film festival.

'Chatroom' is Nakata's second English language offering, following the best-forgotten and utterly forgiveable 'The Ring 2' (he had a right to attempt to reclaim his own artistic property after all), and it's already got me massively excited. The synopsis shapes up as follows:

When jaded teens Jim, Eva, Emily, and Mo meet William online, they're seduced by his charisma. But William isn't what he seems. He's calculating and manipulative and doesn't have time for people in the real world. Jim is vulnerable and has no idea how dangerous his new friendship with William will be. When Jim confesses he's on anti-depressants, William knows he's found a victim. He vows to help Jim get off his drugs, and the rest of the group fall in line. What begins as friendly advice to help Jim becomes twisted, and Eva and Mo realize the deadly game William's playing, but the wheels are in motion. Jim is set on a path of self-destruction and is going to do the unthinkable. As Eva, Emily, and Mo try to save Jim, William begins a terrifying game of cat and mouse, chasing them across the Internet, shutting down their systems and cutting them off from his victim. Fantasy meets reality when William and Jim are face-to-face in rush hour on the underground. Without the faceless security of the online world, everything becomes real. It's now a race against time to save Jim, but the clock is ticking... and we fear someone must die.

It sounds good, and channels a particularly appropriate fear in internet menace, and best of all it sounds like a return to the claustrophobic and atmospheric scares that Nakata has become known for, rather than the more brash, and inferior thrills of 'The Ring 2'.

Reasons to be Excited

- Aaron Johnson. He was astonishingly good as John Lennon in 'Nowhere Boy' and cemented his appeal with the lead turn in Matthew Vaughn's incredible 'Kick Ass', and I would suggest in no uncertain terms that Aaron Johnson is a name to remember for the coming years- he is thankfully the realisation of what Robert Pattinson could have been had he not been sucked in by the 'Twilight' saga. Both have the same kind of looks, and will no doubt make young girls melt, and both are undoubtedly talented actors, but Johnson has made three excellent recent choices in his career and can now rely upon a hipper association that RPatz will any time soon.

- Nakata's pedigree. 'Ringu' and 'Honogurai mizu no soko kara' are two of the most profoundy terrifying films to come out of an industry (in the Asian film industry) that is saturated with excellent genre films, and the fact that both shone in such a competitive market (so much so in fact that both were picked up by American adapters) is testament to their brilliance. Nakata is an artist when it comes to making atmospheric films, and this second English language offering looks like it could well live up to the auteur's own-language projects.

- It's in the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes. Last year may have been all about the Competition and Out of Competition films, with grand Hollywod projects like 'Up', 'Inglorious Basterds' and 'Taking Woodstock' grabbing a lot of pre-festival attention, the secondary feature-length competition was left to blossom under fewer gazes, and some of the films were just brilliant. I was lucky enough to see the excellent documentary 'My Neighbour My Killer' and was utterly blown away by 'Precious' (and was again on second viewing quite recently). I can only hope that pedigree of film choices is an indication that 'Chatroom' and its fellow competitors are as good.

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