Even if some of the things that happened in The Ring were over the top I still think the Ring did a much better job of explaining it's characters and getting you to care a little bit about them than the Grudge did.

By the way what Horror movies aren't a little bit over the top. Horror movies are supposed to bring our nightmares to life. And having a nightmare where a creepy little girl walks out of a t.v. and kills you is completely plausible.