Les Fantômes du passé

The plot/story is based on Yrsa Sigurðardóttir's mystery novel, and so it has aspects of a good mystery and a ghost story. The screenwriters and the actors did a great job, and I didn't mind having to read the subtitles. Although, I did have to pay close attention throughout the whole film in order to understand the plot, which contains layers of complexity. In the end, it paid off because there are some very eerie, creepy scenes.

If you require a lot of blood and gore, then this may not be your kind of film. But if you enjoy good ghost stories with past history tied to the plot, then I definitely recommend it. "Chilly" might be a good word to describe the atmosphere of the film, not only because of the supernatural material but also because the Icelandic countryside looks quite chilly and remote.

Again, kudos go to all of the people who helped to make this film. I look forward to seeing future work from the director, Óskar Thór Axelsson.

This was a real decent thriller. I watched two subtitle films today Julia's Eyes (was ok) and this one, which came together at the end really well. A good solid ghost story, that has right build to give the audience a reason to watch to the end. If you like subtitles films, and the language of Iceland, then I highly recommend this ghost story. You will not be disappointed .

The synopsis here on IMDb is not quite accurate. There are actually 2 stories happening here, and how they connect is revealed slowly, with perfect timing and a suspenseful buildup.

The first story concerns the town doctor, who is helping the police with an investigation of a woman who has died. His character spend the entire film teetering between trying to figure out this town's dark past and how it connects to some recent and frightening events, and trying to live with the torment of the loss of his son, who went missing some years earlier.

The other story is about a married couple (and her best friend) who are in town to convert an old, disused building into a bed & breakfast. There are some personal issues between the three, but the most interesting character by far is the wife. She's also experienced some trauma in her past, and it is she who suffers the strange events that happen in this story. None of what happens to her is ever seen by her husband or her friend, so we don't really know if it's real or imagined.

The town's current crimes, the renovation of the b&b, how the two narratives cross paths is revealed slowly, with suspense and satisfying scares, and is done exceedingly well.

The actors' performances were well done; not a stinker among them. And the landscape is perfect for such a tale. Desolate, cold, isolated...not just in miles, but in connection with the outside world (for example, difficulty in getting a cell phone signal). There are no cheap shots, no stunt scares. A beautiful soundtrack and gorgeous cinematography are icing on the cake of this thriller.

It has beautiful scenery in locations seldom seen on film, but the story is too loose to develop any real tension. There's one effective jump scare, but that's it. And the confusing parallel timeline structure doesn't add anything to the drama. Best avoided.

A very moody film, that cuts back and forth between two storylines. And that makes it really interesting. Also the location of the one storyline is really setting the mood. While there are phantastical elements to it, I would argue that this is more of a thriller, rather than straight horror. But it does have quite a few "jump scares" and you might feel frighten from time to time.

If that sounds intriguing, believe me it is. It is also very well made. The acting is great, the script will keep you guessing what will come next and there are enough twists to keep you on the edge of your seat ... maybe even after the movie is over. The guessing part of it all is what makes it work the first time around. I haven't seen it a second time, but I'm sure there are things to discover and enjoy then too