Ringu
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Where to watch: Streaming on Shudder · Mubi (US, subject to change)
▶ Watch the trailer
How it scared people
The vibe
The cursed videotape, the seven-day deadline, the well. Nakata's original is quieter and stranger than its American remake — a procedural mystery that ends in one of horror's most imitated and never-bettered scares. J-horror's global wave starts here.
Ringu (1998) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | No MPAA certificate (released outside the US system) |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 96 minutes |
| Jump scares | 4/5 — genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares |
| Gore | 1/5 — almost no gore |
| Dread | 5/5 — the kind of film that follows you around for days |
| Themes | psychological distress |
Ringu carries no MPAA certificate. We score it 4/5 for jump scares, 1/5 for gore and 5/5 for lingering dread, over 96 minutes. Very little blood — the hard part here is atmosphere and aftermath, not graphic content. Older teens and adults — less for what it shows than for how long it stays with you.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is Ringu?
- On our intensity scale, Ringu rates 8/10 for jump scares and 10/10 for dread. It is genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares. The dread keeps climbing even between the big moments.
- How gory is Ringu?
- Ringu rates 2/10 for gore — expect almost no gore.
- How long is Ringu?
- Ringu runs 96 minutes (1h 36m).
- What is Ringu rated?
- Ringu has no MPAA certificate — common for films released outside the US. On our scale it rates 8/10 for jump scares, 2/10 for gore and 10/10 for dread.
- Where to watch Ringu (1998)?
- As of our last update, Ringu is streaming on Shudder and Mubi in the US (checked 2026-09-14). Availability changes, so check your service before settling in.
