Americans have been given the most convincing argument to kill their televisions.

Based on a Japanese movie, “The Ring” follows the troubles of reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) whose niece watches a videotape on a motel television that causes the viewer to die in seven days. When the skeptical reporter decides to investigate the girl’s death, she and her son watch the tape on the family television and find out they have only seven days to live. So Keller grabs her ex-husband, played by Martin Henderson, for some investigative journalism.

“The Ring” has pretty much everything needed for a scary movie, including the obligatory creepy kid, played especially well by David Dorfman. Dorfman has followed in the tradition of fellow creepy kids such as the twins from “The Shining” and Haley Joel Osment from “The Sixth Sense.” Heck, Dorfman was up there with the “There is no spoon” kid from “The Matrix,” who was creepy in his own right.

The dark and disturbing visuals may just be a little too much for some people with a weak stomach, but the gore wasn’t shoved down your throat. The gray atmosphere and suspenseful music did most of the work.

At only an hour and 45 minutes, this film seems to be about three. Still, it’s a good movie to make your date sit close to you. Or better yet wait until it comes to your local Blockbuster. Just to be on the safe side, you might want to rent it on DVD.