Rings (2017) - full transcript

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

We are on our final approach
for Seattle.

The weather is fair,
with winds out of the east.

The temperature on the ground,
68 degrees.

On behalf of our cabin crew,
and us here on the flight deck,

we'd like to thank you
for flying with us tonight.

Life sucks when you can't sleep.

Yeah, tell me about it.

Sometimes it's good to talk.

Okay.

This is gonna sound crazy,



but you ever hear about
the videotape that kills you

after you watch it?

Well, I'm at this party,

and I meet this girl from Seattle.

We totally hit it off.

The next day she sends me this video
that says, "Watch me."

So, I find a VCR,

watch it,

but the images on it...

The second it was over, my phone rings.

And this girl says
I'm gonna die in seven days.

That was a week ago tonight.

Ever since, everything's been strange.

All I got to do is make it
through the next five minutes.



- As a reminder...
- God. I'm sorry.

- Sir! Sir, please stay in your seat.
- Please remain in your seats

with your seat belts fastened.

Sir!

What was that about?

That cute guy sitting right next to us...

It turns out he's a total head case.

And he was telling me about a movie
that's supposed to kill you.

What movie?

Some video.

A chick calls you on the phone
after you watch it

and says, "Seven days,"

which was, like, right now.

Open up!

Did you make a copy of it?

Did you make a copy of the tape?

No! I...

- Miss, the seat belt light is on.
- Jesus.

What is going on with you?
It's just a story.

I've seen it!

Traffic control, this is Flight 77.

We have some signal interference.

If you're not interested in buying,
I'd love to take a look.

Sure. I mean,
who would want an old VCR?

Well, once upon a time,
this was a technological revolution.

Okay.

Just talking to the guy.

It turns out that he got all this stuff from

a family whose son died
in a plane crash a couple of years back.

And now it's just a bunch
of outdated junk.

I prefer "vintage."

Come on, old man.

You still got some life in you.

Hey, Skye?

Guess what.

What?

Had a tape in it.

Care to see
what's down the rabbit hole?

I'm gonna be late for class.

But then, maybe
you can tell me about it later.

Have fun, Professor.

Come on, work.

Hello?

Seven days.

What? Who is this?

Julia.

I keep thinking about this story.

It's, like, the most romantic story
in the history of stories.

Well, it's not how we met.

No. It's about this guy, Orpheus.

His girlfriend dies
and he has to literally go down into Hell

to rescue her.

How come it's always the guy
rescuing the girl?

Just...

He tracks her down.
All right? He finds her.

And the Devil's gonna
let her go on one condition.

He has to start first, without her.

He has to walk away
without looking back at her.

- But“
- He looks back to glimpse her

and loses her forever. Ninth grade.

- English Lit.
- Okay. You know it.

So, what's your point?

I don't know. I just...

I relate to the guy.

I mean, I can't imagine
not looking back at you.

Actually, you got to go.

Because my boyfriend's
leaving for college,

and I promised I'd help him pack.

- No!
- Come on, get up.

Baby, baby, baby, he's a loser.
Come back to bed.

Come back to bed, now.

- You really need all this?
- Yeah.

Let's go. Come on, come on.

Come on, Holt!

Supposed to be on the road
an hour ago.

Just give us a second, Dad.

You're doing the right thing.

Your mom, she really needs you
right now.

I'm gonna miss your smell.

Really?

Yeah.

Okay.

I'll see you Columbus Day weekend.

And tell Tommy Lombardi
that I'm on to him.

What do you mean?

He gets a job where you work
the day I leave?

You're crazy!

Don't look back!

9:30, Skype, tonight!

- Where the hell is your shirt?
- Tonight!

- And every night!
- And every single night!

Unless I'm with Tommy Lombardi!

You did not just say that!

Baby, it's been six weeks. I can't take it.

Why are you so much nicer
now that we don't live in the same town?

Sorry, what's your name again?

- Shut up.
- That's a weird name.

How are your classes?

Kind of uninspiring.

There's this one
Experimental Biology class, though.

The teacher's kind of a badass.

That sounds cool.

Yeah.

Not everything's cool, though.

It's still, like, a whole week
until I get to see you.

Well, you're seeing me now.

Yeah, I guess.

What about I start
by taking off my hairclip?

Yeah. Okay.

What's next?

"Take me, take me. I can't stand it!"

How did you even get in here?

These idiots just broke into my room.

Come on, Vision Quest.
Gabriel says you're up.

Let's go to the 7s.

- Shit. Tonight?
- Tonight.

Sorry, little lady,
but boyfriend's got plans tonight.

- You know, but we could talk.
- I think I'm good.

I'll make it up to you. I promise.

- I'll talk to you tomorrow.
- He'll talk to you...

Yeah, sure.

I told you I'd make it up to you.

Julia...

You owe me a good dream.

- Where is he?
- Who are you?

Where's Holt?

I don't know.
I haven't spoken to him in days.

Don't lie to me!

I'm nOt lying to you!

What are you doing on his computer?

Tell him there's no hiding.
Tell the dead man he can't hide.

What... What are you talking about?
What's wrong with you?

She's coming.

There's no stopping her.

Tell Holt that...

Please pick up the phone.

This is Holt. You know what to...

This is Holt. You know what to do.

Holt, what's going on?

I just had the strangest conversation
in my life with that weird girl.

This is Holt. You know what to do.

Hello?

Science has told us that we are merely

the primal stirrings of
some carbon, some proteins.

We live a while, eat,

have sex, when we can.

And that's it, then we die.

Lewin, there's no need
to take notes on that part.

But wait, hold on,

because no one is denying
that we have consciousness.

Some inner life that's
not quite accounted for here.

Let's remember the infamous
double-slit experiment.

When no one is watching,

the particles just pass through
both slits at the same time.

But with an observer,
they behave like bullets,

passing through one slit or the other.

This is big, guys.

The immaterial human consciousness

has reached out
and touched the material.

There is a calculable transformation
in the real world,

and solely because

someone was there to watch it.

Which may account for the fact

that I have become significantly
sweatier once I've noticed

the mysterious stranger watching me
from the back of the room.

All right, that's it. Go get drunk.

Hey, I remember you guys from...

- Why'd you come here?
- Come on, dude.

Move it along. There you go.
There you go.

How can I help you?

I'm looking for my boyfriend.

He's supposed to be in your class.

Okay. What's this guy's name?

Holt Anthony.

Yeah.

Not sure.

It always takes me until Thanksgiving
to start putting names to faces.

Really? 'Cause

he was supposed to do some sort of
extra credit thing for you.

Did he?

Maybe. I don't know.

I do know that
I have 25 essays to grade.

Listen. Okay.

It's not uncommon for a new student
to find something or someone

that's more interesting
to them than class.

My advice to you? Move on.

- Calm down.
- I'm telling you, it's different.

Everyone says that.
It's okay. Where's your tail?

I don't have one anymore.

I told you not to call him.

That asshole hung up on me!

I wonder why.

Okay. We'll switch tails.
You talk to Holt?

No! I tried.
He isn't answering his phone.

- Come on.
- Holt has his own problems.

You have to help me, Gabriel.

- It's your fault! You started this!
- Calm down.

Listen to me, Gabe!

The videos, the tails, all these people.

- It's wrong and she's pissed!
- You're being ridiculous.

I can feel her. It's all changing.

You don't have much time.
You need to trust me.

How could I ever trust you?

Get to your studio.
Don't talk to anyone along the way.

Make a copy of the video and wait.

I'm gonna send someone right now.
Hey, hey, hey!

Everything's gonna be fine, darling.
You understand?

Yes! I understand!

But you don't.

I honestly didn't find the tape
to be that scary, but...

Hey, you're not supposed to be here!

Hey!

You called me the other night.

Hey! Look at me.

You're the girlfriend.

Where's Holt?

I... I can help you.

But I need to show you something first.

You live here?

Yeah. Fine Arts. Grad program.

I need a clear head to do my work,
and I like my privacy.

Is Holt even here?

Did I say he would be?

Be careful where you step.
I just painted the ceiling.

Nothing's wrong. He's not avoiding you.

He's just on a journey.

I want you to watch something
and then you'll understand.

- Is that my phone?
- You're lying!

I need you to do this for me.

It's just a two-minute video.
It won't hurt you.

Open the door!

Julia! I need you to help me.

Holt watched it. We've all watched it.

Open the door!

You're not real.

You're not real!

7210.

I win, bitch.

Jules!

What happened? What happened?

Tell me you didn't watch it. Tell me!

She's dead. She's dead. She's dead.

Hello?

Gabriel sent me.

I'm supposed to watch a video.

Hello.

Gabriel. Gabriel.

Do you know about Skye?

I know.
Someone put a picture of her online.

Everyone's dropping out.

Wait.

Wait. Do I still have a tail?

Gabriel?

Is someone still watching for me?

I'm gonna find you someone,
I promise you that.

Just stay where you are.

Who was that?

It was Gabriel.

Everything's gonna be fine.

That's what he told Skye.

Listen, Julia.

I'm really sorry that you had to see that.

But I can't let you get caught up in this.

I think it's a little too late for that.

I watched it.

Twelve hours after Skye.

We were supposed to
help each other through it.

"Help each other"?

Yeah.

- So were you and her...
- No.

Gabriel said a few of us were
gonna be chosen for this experiment.

If you just heard the way he described it.

That we could prove
the existence of a soul.

Of life after death.

I know. I know. It sounds crazy,

but I'm just...

The tape is the doorway
to the other side.

Then why did she die?

You have seven days before you die.

You just have to watch the tape
and make a copy,

and show it to someone else.

And then you're fine.

Gabriel calls it a "tail."

Her tail just didn't show.

So were you supposed to pass on
a death sentence to someone else?

How could you get involved in this?

Please.

Whatever you are,

leave him alone.

Seven days.

Jules. What did you do?

I saw something.

There was a room. A door.

- Yeah.
- It's Gabriel.

Holt, listen. I've got a tail for you.

It's not for me anymore.

You know why I wasn't
answering your calls, right?

It was to protect you from this.

Gabriel had a solution for me.

It would have been fine.
I would have been fine.

Then I'll be fine, too.

Jules!

What happened?

A bird.

There was a bird.

Julia!

See? I told you there was a bird.

Julia!

But I saw it.

So, you watched the tape.

And I had dismissed self-sacrifice
as popular myth.

Holt was running out of time.

It was the only way to save him.

Anyone would have done it.

You know,
I could show you some research

that would suggest the opposite.

She's marked already.

On day one.

And it's... It's different.

I wasn't marked until day five.

Gabriel, this has to mean something.

It's happening faster.

Maybe it is all changing.

I wanted to believe that tape
meant a lot of things.

That our souls are eternal,

and when we die,

the spirit strives to find a new home.

Then I saw the picture.

I saw Skye's face.

You saw it, too.

You want to survive, you make a copy
and you show someone.

No one is dying because of me.

I'll tell them how it works.

And so what? The cycle just continues?

What do you think survival is?

Just make a copy.

We'll decide what to do with it later.

Please.

What did you do here?

Her version won't copy.

What do you mean "it won't copy"?

Your file size is larger than the original.

How can that be?

Scrub through her copy.

What is that? Go back.

Right there!

The bird.

I told you in the car I saw that bird.

What?

It shouldn't be there.

I need my equipment.

Okay. See, there's these weird gaps
in the digital code.

Glitches where we get
these ghost images, like your bird.

I mean, we're talking one
or two frame still images,

but there's more.

There's video data condensed
in the still frames.

A video within the video?

Well, there is now.

I don't want you to watch it.

Jules, there's no way.

We're watching this together.
End of discussion.

Holt, whatever it is,
I think it's intended for Julia alone.

Look at me.

I know you're upset that I watched it.

But we can't let it be for nothing.

So don't look back, okay?

Put it on.

Jules?

Baby, tell us what you see.

A clock.

A cross in a flood.

A girl.

Jules.

Jules?

I don't know.

A burning body.

Jules!

Sorry. l...

What was it?

Only images,
but I can't explain how it felt.

Flood. Fire. Cremation.

Those are images that have
never been on the tape before.

You know, primitive cultures believed
that the only way to free a soul

is to burn the body.

That is, if you can find it.

Wait.

I saw this.

That's where they buried her.

I traced it to a town
called Sacrament Valley,

about four hours from here.

That's where we need to go.

Hello?

Thank you, Jamal.

The police are on their way here.

And you're not even coming with us!

The police want to
ask me questions, Holt.

- They think you killed Skye.
- But you didn't.

I hope if you learn anything
from an education,

it's that more than one theory
can be true.

I didn't kill Skye.

And I did.

But the cops don't deal
in such ambiguities.

My research.

Everything that's known
about the tape is in there.

It'll be more of a help to you
than I can be.

A man never quite
measures up to his work.

The images on the tape,
they were her story.

She wanted it to be heard.

"Samara was found abandoned
as a young child.

"No one knew where she came from
or who her parents were.

"She was adopted, and they realized

"that something was unnatural
about this girl.

"Something evil.

"They tried to kill her,

"but Samara survived for seven days
at the bottom of the well.

"They found her body years later."

And they brought her
all the way to this town?

Why?

I don't know.

That girl.

What girl?

Hello?

Hello?

- Can I help you?
- Hey...

There was no light outside.
Do you have any vacancies?

Two rooms?

One.

Cash only. Checkout's at noon.

It's an old house.

Walls are thin.

Hope you don't mind the cats.

I'm just down the hall.

Excuse me. Who's the girl in this photo?

The one in the middle there?

Why, that's my niece.

Beautiful, isn't she?
People say we look just...

No, I'm sorry.
I meant the girl with the violin.

That's Evelyn.

I think I saw her.

Earlier today.

That's not possible.

She disappeared 30 years ago.

Does anyone know why?

No.

And I'd rather not talk about it.

Ma'am, where's the church?

Well, it's not a church anymore.

That's when I hit rock bottom.

I guess the worst part of it
for me was that I let down my kids,

I let down my husband.

Raise your hand
if life ever let you down.

Go ahead now, raise your hand.

And then you found the drug
that you thought unlocked a secret.

One day at a time.

Thank you all for coming.

I'll see you next week.

Jules. We better go.

So, what do we do now?

Awful young to be here.
Don't let it kill you.

Excuse me, sir!

Could you tell me a little bit more
about the church?

When did it close?

Been 13 years.

After the flood.

Town used to have five times
this many people.

Ever since,

there's more dead
than alive around here.

Thank you.

- He said the church was...
- That's where they brought her.

The cemetery.

Look for her name.

Come on, pick up.

This is Holt. You know what to do.

Holt, it's Gabriel.

I don't know if you're getting
these messages,

but I figured out
the mark on Julia's hand.

It's braille.
I'm gonna come find you guys.

"The waters rose to carry them
and brought them back safely to God."

Holt!

Holt!

Hey, hey, hey-

She's in there.

Someone moved her.

Jules?

What are you doing?

There's writing.

Holt.

Holt!

Julia!

Hey, what happened?
What happened? What happened?

I saw something.

The well.

- We were just looking...
- I know who you're looking for.

Let's go.

- What did you find?
- Two kids.

Caught them breaking into 294.

Breaking in?

Well, that's new.

You want me to take them
down to the Sheriff's Office?

No,no,no,no,no,
don't bother the Sheriff.

I can take care of this.

I'm Galen Burke.

I watch over things here.

Soto speak.

Please. Come in.

It's not much.

But I wasn't expecting company.

- I can... I can take...
- No, no. I'm fine, son.

I know every corner of this house.

So,

you're looking for the girl.

I find it interesting

that you managed to find her grave
even after the marker was removed.

I had a vision.

An image of that grave that led me here.

And inside the grave,

I saw a vision of a well.

A vision.

So, you want to know
about Samara Morgan.

Our priest was very active
with the community back then.

He heard that after all the little girl
had been through

that she was being denied
a resting place.

Well, who's to say that charity
isn't meant for the dead?

So why isn't she there now?

Well, because we paid mightily
for this act of charity.

It was as if God and nature itself
wanted us to be rid of her.

- The flood.
- Yes.

But I had let myself believe,

like you,

that she was trying to tell me something.

I was pulled to that grave.

She showed me things.

Things that no one
should have to imagine.

And then I went blind.

- I'm so sorry.
- No, don't be.

It brought me peace.

The priest requested
that her body be moved.

He left Sacrament Valley.

She was buried in a potter's field
just north of town,

to be forgotten by all.

I think we should get out of here.

Listen to me.

There is nothing about that girl
that's worth being curious about.

I need to see this through.

Why?

Because you think
you were chosen for something?

Having a vision

doesn't mean you know
what that vision means.

Thank you.

What's this on your hand?

Why did you put this mark
on your hand?

What do you mean?

Be careful.

You hear me?

So, what now?

We gotta find the body.

- What?
- Hey, stay right there.

This road's closed.
There's been an accident.

- Need you to turn it around.
- Okay, sir.

- Julia!
- It's that girl.

From the picture.

Hey! Where do you think
you're going, sir?

Excuse me. Turn around.

Stop!

Evelyn!

Stop!

Gabriel?

Gabriel.

- Over here! He needs help!
- Hey!

Gabriel.

What is it?

Hey, sir! Please!

Gabriel, tell me.

You can't be down there!

Julia!

He was coming for a reason.

He wanted to tell us something.

No, she wanted to tell us something.

This girl has something
to do with Samara.

We need to go back.

I can feel her pain, her suffering.

I'm sick with it and it's getting worse.

I'm so tired.

Then you sleep.

I'm gonna get us something to eat.

Okay.

Look.

We'll figure this out.

I was right there.

There you go, Karen.

Chicken fried steak and coffee.

Hey. Menu?

Yeah. Sure.

So, what is that? Chicken or steak?

You're funny.

Look,L“

I don't mean to be rude, but...

The girl who's friends with your niece,
the one who disappeared...

Can you tell me a little bit more
about what happened?

My niece and she knew each other
through the church music program.

But she was the most gifted.

People used to kid her,
"You're too good for this place.

"We're gonna wake up one day
and you'll be gone, and that'll be that."

I guess there's certain jokes
you shouldn't make

because it happened.

She disappeared.

No clothes gone. No note.

Just vanished.

The priest.

He kept you down here.

The Child!

Thirty-four weeks.

Eight and a half months.

You were pregnant.

You were Samara's mother.

The police investigated for six months,
and then we stopped hearing from them.

Town never felt quite the same
after that.

The priest.

Do you know what happened to him?

He still lives in town.

Although he isn't a priest anymore.

Not since he went blind.

I have to go. Excuse me.

Mr. Burke!

It's Julia! I have to talk to you!

The boy's not with you.

What's wrong?

I think I understand my visions.

The things she's been showing me.

I need to know about the priest.

I guess, just like most people
in the town,

the event sort of took it out of him.

I just don't see why it matters.

There was a girl here 30 years ago
who disappeared.

I've seen her.

Evelyn Borden.

You knew her?

Everyone knew Evelyn.

She was kept under the church.

I found a room. It was like a prison.

There were days marked off
on the walls.

Nine months.

She's Samara's mother.

She suffered from the day she was born.

And she's still suffering now.

I think I understand it.

This curse. This.

It will never stop until she's free.

What's that sound?

Cicadas.

Burke.

Jules?

Jules!

Julia...

I know what it's like
to be guided by visions.

To be certain.

I was certain that I would father

a child that
was gonna change the world.

And I was right.

You see, Julia,

she didn't take my sight.

I did.

Good girl.

- You're very brave.
- You're Samara's father.

You kidnapped Evelyn.

The night that I laid with her,

I heard them.

The cicadas.

You moved her bones
and she's still your prisoner.

As are you.

You think that you're
the first Good Samaritan

that she cried out to, to free her?

You're the 12th, Julia.

Though none of the others got this far.

You think that you're so close
to bringing her peace.

But you have no idea the hell
that you would unleash on the world.

Julia?

Samara can't hurt me,
because I can't see her.

But you, Julia,

I can hear your every breath!

You Will

not set her free!

Julia,

you remind me of Evelyn.

I chained Evelyn's hands

because she was trying to kill our child.

I should have let her!

She was your daughter!

What are you trying to show me?

No.

Samara.

You're here.

Julia?

Here she is, Samara!

This is what becomes of your savior!

With the grace of the Holy Spirit,

may the Lord who freed you from sin

save you,

and raise you up!

Julia...

Don't leave me.

...from sin!

May the Lord save you!

Through this holy anointing...

Who's there?

Samara.

Hey. It's okay.

It's over.

It's over.

Not yet.

What could that have felt like?

To be feared by everyone
who's supposed to love you.

Not everyone.

You were never afraid of her.

You're free, Samara.

Holt. It's Gabriel.

I don't know if you're getting
these messages,

but I figured out the mark
on Julia's hand.

It's braille.
I'm gonna come find you guys.

Our souls are eternal,

and when we die,

the spirit strives to find a new home.

I'm telling you, she's coming back.

This time for real.

You were never afraid of her.

Just because you had a vision

doesn't mean you know
what that vision means.

You have no idea

the hell that you would
unleash on the world.

And I'm sorry.

It won't stop.

No, no.

What?

No,no,no!

Stop!

Come on!

Julia!