The Grudge continues! On May 12, 2009 The Grudge 3 was released as a direct to DVD movie. This is the most recent release of the Grudge series. Takashi Shimizu is the producer instead of directing as he did in the original Grudge and The Grudge 2. Toby Wilkins did the directing job this time. Ju-On, written by Shimizu, is the original Japanese film that The Grudge is based on. He and screenwriter Brad Keene both worked on the writing of this film. Brad Keene is known for writing "Gravedancers" and "From Within".
Set in Chicago only a short while after the action takes place in Grudge 2, the story continues. Young Allison brought the curse with her from Tokyo. Running away did not help end the torture. Now we have Jake Kimball, lone survivor from Grudge 2, Locked up in a mental institution. Dr Ann Sullivan, acted by Shawnee Smith, is taking care of him.
Jake tries to confide in Dr. Sullivan about his family, but his story is too fantastic and horrible for her to accept as truth. She changes her mind after Kayako, from the other two Grudge films, invisibly goes after him.
Naoko, Kayako's sister, is still living in Japan. While reading a newspaper she finds out about all the stuff happening in the U.S. Naoko knows what to do about the deadly curse. She can, after all this time, make it stop. She is determined to go to America and do her best to end the reign of terror.
She journeys to the Chicago apartment from the Grudge 2. There she meets the landlord and his children. The youngest child Rose she realizes can communicate with the dead. Meanwhile the curse is tormenting the landlord and his family who have become close to Naoko, especially the older daughter Lisa.
Naoko figures out how to end the curse. Little Rose must drink blood from Kayako during an exorcism. The exorcism goes on but Naoko is killed. Rose and Lisa's father, who has become steadily more insane, murders her as the exorcism is happening. Although they managed to end the curse, another one is born out of the violent end to Naoko.
For anyone who was into the Grudge series, this movie is a must see. The previous movies left some mystery that this one concludes. It also feels like the chance of more stories are possible.