I read an old review by Roger Ebert of The Ring, and I don't know why he doesn't understand the movie. It's pretty simple:
- Samara was a little girl born in unnatural circumstances, and had the ability to materialize images she created in her mind. Most of her thoughts were evil, so she mutilated a bunch of people and minds of people, and drove a bunch of horses crazy.
- Her parents started to lose her mind, so they sent her off to a loony hospital, which didn't work, so her mother killed her in desperation.
- Samara's enraged spirit is trying to reach out to the world an inflict as much suffering as possible on all of humanity, and she will never, ever rest.
But Roger Ebert doesn't get it.