A mysterious videotape causes anyone who watches it to die exactly seven days later. After the mysterious death of her niece, journalist Rachel Keller (played by Naomi Watts) investigates the tape. She discovers a series of eerie images on the tape and, after watching it herself, receives a terrifying phone call simply saying: "Seven days."

With her life now on the line, Rachel begins a frantic race against time to uncover the tape’s origins. Her search leads her to the tragic story of a little girl named Samara Morgan, whose disturbing abilities and troubled past hold the key to breaking the curse.

Rachel's ex-boyfriend, Noah (Martin Henderson), helps her unravel the mystery, but even when they think the curse is lifted, the horror isn’t over. The film ends on a chilling note that reveals the curse continues through duplication and sharing of the tape.