The Innocents

Another treat from the writer of Thelma (2017) and Louder Than Bombs (2015). It is a slowburner but never loses suspense thanks to fluid direction, good cinematography and superb performances from the child actors. The premise is original and the atmosphere heavy and dark. A very interesting way to tackle the loss of innocence. If you like dark thrillers with supernatural elements, you should not miss this one.

Drenched in dark, dreadful & foreboding atmosphere and steered by terrific performances from its young cast, The Innocents (De uskyldige) is slow, patient & measured in its approach but the tension & terror it invokes from its ominous build-up & gradually intensifying drama is unnerving & unsettling in suffocating doses, and ranks amongst the most gripping, absorbing & disturbing examples of its kind.

Written & directed by Eskil Vogt, the premise takes its time to set up and character introductions are proper yet there is this feeling of uneasy apprehension that pervades the air & is perceivable from early moments. And it only heightens as the plot progresses once what started as four kids exploring their mysterious powers takes a dangerous turn. And from thereon, the picture has our attention within its grasp.

Assisting the story in sustaining its chilling vibe & disquieting tone is the menacing camerawork, brooding score, slow-burn pace & sudden violence while the young actors play their respective parts with deft composure and are highly convincing in their roles. Their credible input is a vital ingredient that makes this drama work and these children navigate & articulate all the required emotions with surprising authenticity.

Overall, The Innocents addresses themes of friendship, loneliness, morality, cruelty, curiosity & loss of innocence through the bonding they forge and the hidden powers they discover in each other's presence. Unrelenting in its mood & smothering in its intensity, this Norwegian chiller is as uncomfortable as it is uncanny, never allows the suspense to leave the room and concludes with a haunting finale that lingers long after the credits roll.

How would you feel, if your desires could be real, if what you wished for just came true, if what you thought, your friends knew too; how would you behave, knowing the world could be your slave, influencing what folks do, knowing they didn't have a clue.

It's all a bit Carrie lite, and it's definitely not a horror film but more an expression of the feelings of children in a world that has been unable to provide a slice in their life that aligns with their expectations. Hormonal rage and retribution, the chaos of growing up, the growing pains and misinterpretations, the immaturity and the fears of a child - don't take it too literally, unless of course you're of a certain age.

It took me a while to decide whether I liked it or not. I guess it's one of those movies that are just... fine. I don't feel like I wasted my time but it didn't leave me thinking "what a great movie" either.

De uskyldige (The Innocents) is an atmospheric, nicely shot slow burner that ultimately fails to justify its demanding 117-minute running time. The first half is quite slow, with little narrative substance and virtually no dialogue - just children being mean and creepy - so that by the end of the first hour it begins to drag. The pace eventually picks up over the last 40 minutes, which are delightfully tense and suspenseful and manage to keep you on the edge of your seat with some great spooky (and gruesome) scenes, but at this point it feels like too little too late. Nice cinematography and sound that enhance the eerie overtone of the movie; the kids' acting is excellent.

Overall, a nice suspense/supernatural flick with a nordic vibe going on (one can't help but think of von Trier's similar nordic oddity Riget). I just think it could have used a bit more plot and a shorter runtime.

Are you tired of the conventional "horror/thriller" movies? Then this one might be for you. It is by no means scary at any time, but it surely pushes the boundaries of what you expect to see in a movie, where children are the lead characters, this might upset your stomach at times, but this provocative choice is by design.

The supernatural/abnormal aspects are never fully explained though, which shouldnt be an issue in a fantasy scifi genre, but at least a small attempt towards some concept justification would have been desired. Still a very gripping film to watch, which could have been 20mins shorter to get a better score!