 The film received mixed reviews from critics . Negative reviews described the film as " dramatically flat " and " aimed at the teen dating crowd , " while positive reviews praised the film for " generating a respectable amount of suspense , " " playful and energized enough to keep an audience guessing , " and " an unexpectedly alert teen @-@ scream disaster chiller " . It received the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film and Best Performance by a Younger Actor for Sawa 's performance . The film 's success spawned a media franchise , encompassing four additional installments , as well as a series of novels and comic books . 
