0
0
Netflix has been adding more interesting horror TV series from all over the world in the past couple of months, and for the most part, the series from Asia have been hitting all the marks for purists fans of the genre.
Over the years, Hollywood studios have delivered with the much loved Mike Flanagan series The Haunting of Hill House and its anthology companion Haunting of Bly Manor, but even those beautiful art-house genre standouts were more aimed towards casual modern horror fans and not seasoned gore enthusiast looking for something to make them sleep with a night light on.
Coming out of the shadows in late 2020, another chapter into the Ju-On franchise (The Grudge) came to the streaming giant, and with it, were some of the most unsettling moments to come out of any horror TV series.
Ju-On: Origins is somehow part slow-burn mystery one moment and then the next episode is a boundary-pushing fast-paced thrill that will force you to bury your face in a pillow to escape it.
This is not a series that is for the faint of heart and if you’re easily startled now is the time to duck out…
Ju-On Origins (2020)
Trigger warning: There are scenes of sexual assault and suicide in the series, it is not frequent, but still something to be wary of if you plan to watch.
Speaking candidly, and as a full-time horror fanatic, this TV series gave me actual nightmares. Which, of course, were welcomed and lovely, but still this was a seriously terrifying viewing even for a seasoned fan like myself.
The episodes are short and even if you are not familiar with the over 20-year-old franchise, this is an origin story that would have worked completely separate from the previous movies and stands on its own as a great entry to Japanese horror.
There is a healthy dose of jump scares, ghostly built tension, and a constant feeling of utter dread during the entire series but the thing that tops it off is the lengths of creative thought put into the entire premise as a fascinating story revolving around a disturbing curse.
Within the short season, there are moments that are so nauseatingly detailed you’ll have a hard time forgetting them, which makes the whole experience one you have to really decide if you’re up for because it definitely strikes hot and leaves a mark.
If you’re expecting just a usual spiritual haunting series with pale-faced ghosts and protagonists that casually walk into danger, then this will most certainly be a rude awakening that may keep you up at night.
The grotesque nature of the paranormal encounters in this may not be for everyone, but if you’re into watching spooky stories that unfold in putrid detail, this is not something you can afford to miss as a horror fan.
Happy Viewing!
