The Murder House
We begin episode 4 of JU-ON: Origins in 1995 with Yasuo greeting the child killer “M” in prison. He discusses his investigation about the strange house we’ve seen so much of in the past and how it’s connected to what’s happening at the moment. Meanwhile, a pregnant woman called Chie pours a glass of wine for her husband Keiichi and destroys his world, telling him she hasn’t been happy during any part of their marriage and confirms her baby is not his. After wrestling with one another, he eventually slices her throat open and the sheer gore and shock of this act prompts him to vomit on the floor. Determined to save “it”, Keiichi slices open her pregnant belly and takes the crying baby out, walking away from the house. Unfortunately the baby dies in his arms and after burying it outside the creepy house we’ve seen so much of, he vows to go to the police the next day. As the news reports come in to confirm this, Yasuo returns from the prison and with Haruka, arrives at the familiar murder house we’ve seen so much of. In the wake of this, Haruka and Yasuo discuss what happened at the house and it’s here the first mention of the woman in white is brought to light. Keiichi is interviewed by police but continues to hear the phone ringing, distracting him from the interview at play. In his prison cell he experiences a ghastly vision as the dead baby crawls up his leg and eventually inside his mouth. As the episode closes out, Katsuji sits in his apartment with Toshiki drawing. After asking just why his child only draws his mother, the picture he draws is more than a little disturbing. Knocking on the door distracts him though and as he listens, the child whispers for him to run away.
The Review Write-Up
As the investigation starts to deepen, there’s a few more creepy scenes injected into the series. The dead baby inside the prison cell is certainly one such example and alongside this, the various investigative scenes help to paint a portrait of just how damaging this house has been to its various inhabitants over the years. While the series doesn’t quite delve as far into horror territory as it perhaps should, as an origin series Ju-On does just enough to keep you watching to find out what happens next. It’s also a lot better than January’s attempt to reboot the film franchise. Compared to other horror series or even the earlier Ju-On films though, this certainly pales in comparison when it comes to outright horror.
