After terrifying audiences worldwide with the blockbuster J-horror classic Ring and its sequel, director Hideo Nakata returned to the genre for Dark Water, another highly atmospheric, and critically acclaimed, tale of the supernatural which took the common theme of the “dead wet girl” to new heights of suspense and drama. Based upon on a short story by Ring author Koji Suzuki, Dark Water follows Yoshimi, a single mother struggling to win sole custody of her only child, Ikuko. When they move into a new home within a dilapidated and long-forgotten apartment complex, Yoshimi begins to experience startling visions and unexplainable sounds, calling her mental well-being into question, and endangering not only her custody of Ikuko, but perhaps their lives as well. Beautifully shot by the same cinematographer as Ring and Pulse, and featuring an especially unnerving sound design, Dark Water successfully merges spine-tingling tension with a family’s heart-wrenching emotional struggle, creating one of the very finest and most unsettling contemporary Japanese horror films.

For thoughts on Dark Water (2002), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/3x0xakJG6zw?si=ybp4hX6m4Qtui2om&t=3352]

Video Quality

Arrow Video presents Dark Water (2002) with a stellar 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the original 35mm camera negative conducted by Kadakowa and graded in 4K HDR/Dolby Vision. This new 4K grading was supervised and approved by Director of Photography Junichiro Hayashi. The film was previously released by the label on Blu-Ray back in 2016 from a dated master, and that release is considered to be one of the weaker ones released by the label due to the master they were provided. With this fresh outing, the film is finally given the carefully rendered presentation it deserves.

Fans should agree that this transfer is an immense treat, as the level of detail and clarity on display here is bound to astound. The presentation delivers a nearly perfect amount of natural film grain that helps bring out the textural details of the worn-down production design. This grain resolves well with no fluctuations detected even in the darkest enclaves. This transfer does not exhibit anything in the way of print damage. The subtle textures on display in the clothing and within the setting are unbelievable. The makeup effects are executed effectively when they are brought to the forefront.

This top-tier presentation is true to the original intention of the film with the added resolution making the world more natural and three-dimensional. There do not appear to be any unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. One of the most effective aspects of the disc is the application of Dolby Vision for increased color output that takes this dour world and harnesses every ounce of nuance out of it. The new restoration retains the very intentional color grading that is in line with the mood of the narrative. This disc handles every environmental change with ease. The black levels are top-notch with nothing in the way of crush present, and the highlights are firm with no evidence of blooming. This presentation is a top-notch effort from the crew at Arrow Video.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Japanese (with optional English subtitles) that represents this one perfectly. The film has a lot of unsettling atmospheric effects that engage the surround speakers including fairly consistent rain and other creaks and bumps throughout the apartment building. Dialogue comes through clearly in the front channel without being overshadowed by any sound effects or score. The track has a fine sense of directionality with sounds always emanating from the appropriate channels. The movie is not filled with the most intense experiences consistently, but it engages the low end when things get more active. The score established the haunting atmosphere for this story which fills the speakers well. There are no issues with fidelity or damage to the track. This audio presentation is great and is sure to please fans of the material.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Dark Water (2002) includes a 27-page booklet featuring the essays “Dead Wet Girls” by critic and author David Kalat and “An Uncommon Remake” by professor Michael Gingold. These works provide a great analysis of the film, the subgenre, the creatives, the behind-the-scenes details, the American translation, and more in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Hideo Nakata – Ghosts, Rings and Water: An engaging 26-minute interview with the director from 2016 in which he discusses his background, his unlikely path to being a horror director, early nudges from the producers, the inspirations for Dark Water, how the script evolved, the initial feedback from early screenings, and more.

Koji Suzuki – Family Terrors: A nearly 21-minute piece with the author from 2016 in which he discusses the ideas he finds most frightening, early inspirations for his work, adapting his own short story, the recurring motifs, and much more.

Junichiro Hayashi – Visualizing Horror: A 19-minute interview with the director of photography from 2016 in which he discusses how he got his start in the business, his collaborations with Hideo Nakata, what they wanted to achieve with the look of the film, his work on other projects, and more.

Making-Of Featurette: A 16-minute archival featurette from 2002 that provides a look at the cast and creative team coming together to make this feature as the audience acts like a fly on the wall of production.

Interviews

- Hitomi Kuroki: An eight-minute archival interview with the actress is provided in which she discusses her experiences with Dark Water, the way the script evolved from the early stages, working with Hideo Nakata, and more.

- Asami Mizukawa: A five-minute archival interview with the actress is provided in which she discusses her experiences in the brief but pivotal role, her feelings about horror films, her enjoyment of the work of Koji Suzuki, what it is like to be directed by Hideo Nakata, and more.

- Shikao Suga: A three-minute archival interview with the composer in which he discusses how he got involved with the film, what about the project appealed to him, creating the ending song, the themes behind the tune, and more.

Trailers & TV Spots: This disc includes the Trailer (1:15), Teaser (0:37), and TV Spots (0:49).

Final Thoughts

Dark Water is not as horrifying as many J-Horror films tend to be, but it succeeds in delving into more poignant material that lingers with you long after the credits have finished rolling. Hideo Nakata is such a strong voice in this space, and it makes complete sense why some of his efforts have been the most successful. The thematic impact is strong, and he effortlessly builds up to the emotional payoff with a deliberate implementation of ghostly imagery and paranoia that mirrors the character’s emotional state. This one leads with its heart more than its scares. Arrow Video has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring an A+ audio/visual presentation and a nice array of special features that enhance your appreciation for the film. Even if you already own the previous Blu-Ray, this is a major upgrade. Recommended

Dark Water (2002) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.