The Others

Rarely does a scary film come around that isn't schlocky and obvious. 'The Others', directed by the great Alejandro Amenabar (Abre los Ojos) is a stylish, spooky and fun film to watch that doesn't cheapen itself like so many in the genre. It is 1947 on the island of Jersey in England, and Grace (Nicole Kidman) is the mother of two small children, Charles (Christopher Eccleston) and Anne (Alakina Mann) who are allergic to the sunlight, so they are not allowed to go outside. Moreover, any room they are in has to be locked with the curtains shut, a cumbersome task in their mansion with its 50 doors. Mysteriously, the mansion's staff left the week before, which precipitates the arrival of three new servants; a gardener and two housekeepers who are promptly hired. Further complicating matters is the fact that Anne keeps talking to an unseen child, and unexplained footsteps, opened curtains and doors opening and shutting are starting to wear thin on the already uber-fragile Grace, until the occurrences threaten their lives.

With 'The Others', Amenabar gives us a truly spooky and stylish thriller. The foggy atmosphere outside of the mansion, the dark rooms lit by candles within the house, both of these are just many of the beautiful stylistic areas of the film. Kidman is great as the incredibly brittle and mentally frayed Grace. While she puts on a cool, haughty façade, the circumstances she finds herself in are clearly eating away at her sanity. The actors who play her children are actually quite good themselves, particularly Alakina Mann, who holds her own in her confrontational scenes with Kidman and others. The screenplay, also written by Amenabar is quite intelligent, and if you haven't heard the 'twist' at the end, it is pretty ingenious. It is ingenious and well-written regardless, but the impact upon discovery is pretty decent.

'The Others' is not a phenomenal film by any means, but it is a refreshing change from the standard thriller/suspense fare, because it adds a truly intelligent and stylish bent to the genre. Other than children, (obviously) this film can be recommended to pretty much anyone, as long as they don't expect it to be the frenetic, jump-cut fest that is so prevalent nowadays. 'The Others' takes its time to get to its reveal, and it is worth every minute. 7/10

Shelly

Can't say much without it spoiling the movie! Rating 9 because a lot of it moved a bit slowly but I guess that was all for a reason!

Movie was fantastic but the ending was even better!!

Definitely worth a watch! If you get bored by any chance, stick through it, trust me!!

The Others is yet another in a long list of great horror movies of the new millennium. I have always loved ghost stories, and this film has easily become my favorite ghost story ever. It's like one of the great old black and white ghost stories but better. It takes you on a slow, and uncomfortable ride.

The story is simple. Grace lives in a mansion with her two children, both allergic to sunlight. That little twist on the story was just great. It makes the film completely opposite than other ghost stories, with Grace not afraid of the dark, and making sure to keep the light out, to save her children. This provides us with a very creepy, and dark atmosphere. Plus the mansion is also a creepy place. Not to mention, that in the film everyone who enters the house, must close the previous door, before opening the next.

Nicole Kidman is perfectly cast in The Others. This may be one of her best performances ever (She was also great in this years Moulin Rouge). She was really very believable in the part. The two kids in this film were also fantastic. Alakina Mann as Anne was terrific. She played the bullying sister great. She and James Bently, who played Nicolas, really seemed like siblings. Awesome job by both. Fionnula Flanagan was also fantastic as Mrs. Mills. She really creeped me out, and I didn't know where she stood. Was she good or bad? I didn't know, but her acting was right on the ball.

Alejandro Anemabar directed The Others with such atmosphere. The dark lighting is creepy, and the cinematography is beautiful. This guy's has got a bright future. To accompany all the atmosphere we get a fabulous score by the director, Alejandro Amenabar. The music is creepy, and really adds to the feel of a 50's ghost story. It also sets the mood of the film, and makes the scary scenes, even scarier. The score is fabulous. Not only did Alejandro Amenabar direct, and score, but he wrote the great, and well-developed screenplay.

The Others is not without a great twist ending, that should shock everyone. I did not see it coming, and it's such an original concept to use in a ghost story. It worked well, and I was speechless after the film. Outstanding finale.

This film is yet another horror film that proves that big budget special effects suck! This film is scary, and it only had a $17m budget. The Others did great at the box office, and deserved every buck it earned. It's a creepy film, that has its very scary moments. This is a film that will not be forgotten. It'll be stuck in my mind for a long time. This really reminded me of an old 40's or 50's film. I highly recommend this film to every fan of ghost stories.

The Others: 10/10, A+

At a time when horror films constitute silly teenagers blindly wandering into danger and unnecessary gore, 'The Others' is like a breath of fresh air. It goes back to the roots of the horror genre, employing an eerie atmosphere and mysterious characters to conjure the chilly backbone of the film.

'The Others' is set in the Forties and revolves around staunchly Catholic Grace Stewart, who lives in an old mansion located on the island of Jersey with her highly photo-sensitive children ten-year-old Anne and six-year-old Nicholas. The house is almost permanently entrenched in darkness, in deference to the children's condition, and Grace's husband is lost in war, only enhancing the sense of gloom to the story. One morning, three servants mysteriously turn up at the door of the Stewart mansion, despite Grace having not yet advertised the posts, to replace the previous servants who had suddenly left their posts a week earlier. Anne then begins to maintain the house is haunted, her deduction supported by the fact locked doors left ajar, closed curtains suddenly being found opened and furniture moving when there's no-one in the room. Grace, deeply ingrained in her religious belief that ghosts don't exist, initially refuses to believe her daughter but soon she questions her faith as she can't deny there is something ominous about the house...

Nicole Kidman gives an excellent performance as the almost cold and aloof Grace, who does love her children dearly even if she doesn't always show it openly. Fionnula Flanagan, Eric Sykes and Elaine Cassidy, as the three servants, are suitably mysterious by showing they seem to know more than they let on, leaving viewers questioning their motives from the start. But it is the young child actors, Alakina Mann and James Bentley, who steal the show as Anne and Nicholas. Despite their age and inexperience, both children given first-class depictions of their characters, showing their isolation thanks to their medical conditions and their reliance on one another despite typical sibling discord at times. Mann, in particular, excels in portraying the stubborn nature of Anne and her precarious relationship with her mother. It is a shame this child never continued her acting career because she is a credit to young British acting.

'The Others' is a subtle horror films for those sick of cheap Hollywood horror flicks and are seeking interesting characters and an intelligent plot. While there are no special effects or buckets of blood in this film, in the tradition of 'The Exorcist' and 'The Devil's Backbone', it instead relies upon more old-fashion methods of frightening the audience, which are far more effective. The story is well-paced, leaving the audience guessing what is happening and what the characters' motives are right to the end.

This film has to be one of the best horror films I've ever seen and puts many films in the horror genre to shame. I highly recommend it to those who appreciate the value of suspense and a good fright.

After each occasion when I saw it, I define it as masterpiece. sure, many explanations. but something is real impressive - the plot. the science to explore each emotion, expectation, thrill, supposition about story, characters and end. the performances are more than beautiful. the atmosphere - you feel it . the tension - real embroidery. the great good point - it is a film about yourself. about fears, certitudes and appearances. and that does it a magnificent film. and more. a remarkable masterpiece.