The Others (2001)
Sooner or later they will find you - unless you've already fallen asleep through complete boredom
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, Christopher Eccleston, Alakina Mann, James Bentley, Eric Sykes, Elaine Cassidy, Renee Asherson, Keith Allen
Director: Alejandro Amenabar
Running Time: 105 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 12
Drama, Horror, Thriller
On DVD Everyone loves it when a film has a good twist, and "The Others" has just that. It's just a pity the 100 minutes that come before it are among the most boring, stuffy and mind-numbingly drawn-out processes I've ever had to endure in movie-watching.
This turgid tale takes place in 1945, at a creepy old mansion in Jersey where Grace (Nicole Kidman) has turned half-batty since her husband Charles (Christopher Eccleston) disappeared off into the distance to fight the Germans. Her two kids Anne and Nicholas (Alakina Mann and James Bentley) have a rare skin disease meaning the poor little blighters can't be exposed to light, which explains why Grace is a tad obsessive about keeping all the curtains drawn and doors closed. What it doesn't explain is why, when three strangers arrive on her doorstep looking for work, she makes one of them (Eric Sykes) sleep in the shed. The house is bloody massive! Surely she could let him sleep indoors? It's no wonder the previous workforce did a runner.
Anyway, in between droning endlessly on about the bible and forcing old men to kip next to the garden rake, she's briefly re-united with hubby Charles - though, it has to be said, he's hardly a barrel of laughs himself. To cut to the point, the poor woman's so out of it that you'd think she'd believe practically anything - though, strangely, she's less than willing to face facts when things start going bump in the night and her kids receive some ghostly visits.
Let's face it - Kidman is no stranger to appearing in appallingly over-rated dull-fests, and she's at it again in this downright awful attempt from Chilean director Alejandro Amenabar at scaring us with an atmospheric ghost story. Unfortunately, Amenabar - who also wrote this nonsense - forgets that in amongst all that atmosphere it helps a great deal if SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
DVD Extras: Featurette, visual FX piece, a look at Xeroderma Pigmentosum (or photo-sensitivity, as it's known in the movie), the story of a family dealing with the disease, an "intimate" look at director Alejandro Amenabar, stills gallery, theatrical trailer.
It's Got: Keith "World In Motion" Allen looking like a spiv in a greasy hairpiece, and Eric Sykes no doubt catching his death of cold.
It Needs: Some basic level of entertainment.
Alternatives: The Haunting (1963 version), What Lies Beneath
Summary: Only the surprisingly good ending saves this tiresome, overly-atmospheric, non-event from receiving an even lower rating.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 22nd May 2003
External Links
The Others at the IMDB
Comments8 Comments |
| 2/10 ????????? are you crazy??? this movie is awesome, very scary. i would give 8/10 |
| Comment by:- Ricardo | | 21 July 2004 | ip: logged |
| "I concur with recardo. I thought this movie was excellent in all areas. Some people thought it may be a bit drawn out, i never found this. Its one of the rare movies that had the ability to leave me moved and thinking about it for a couple of days. 8.5+ out of 10. Proper!" |
| Comment by:- Dave B | | 27 July 2004 | ip: logged |
| yeah whats wrong with 2/10 score? I think your definition of scary movie is monster jumping, ghost appearances kind of movie??? there are really few movies which build fear inside the audience with such subtlety that you dont realize when you have goosebumps and this movie has just done that. And what a very good twist this movie has. |
| Comment by:- Christian | | 04 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| Wow, 2/10? That's pretty harsh. I think this movie deserved a higher mark. At least a 7. The Others would not be a movie I would consider hauntingly scary, but it is scary in a creepy, Sixth Sense kinda way. There is only one moment in this entire movie that I actually recalled myself screaming, but this movie is definately worth the watch. I must warn you though, this movie would be completely boring if you already know the ending twist of the movie. If you already know it, don't watch it, you ruined it already. The Others is heavily dependent on the twist. So if you don't want to spoil it for yourself, just sit back, relax and watch the movie. I highly recommend you watch it. |
| Comment by:- lostcat | | 23 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| the movie needs atleast 9/10... 2/10 is illogical... the horror lie within all of us...the fear of the unknows...it's not abt showing voilence,blood and torn flesh...but it's about bringing out that unknown which all of us are scared of.. i think u need to redefine your kind of horror |
| Comment by:- sandy | | 24 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| I love the others its great, are you blind or just a gay lord! they should imploy some one with taste next time! go kidman !!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 05 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| Gay lord? A homosexual Jesus or Krishna perhaps? I felt this film was over-hyped and over-praised but it's deserving of say a 6/10 at the very least. Not a great film but not a bad one either. |
| Comment by:- Mitchell | | 08 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| This has got to be one of the most unsettling movies ive ever watched. And have to say felt truely 'scared' in. Ripped flesh just doesnt do it for me and just makes me laugh, but this there is no way in a million years you'd guess the twist. Best suspense/horror film ive ever seen at least a 9/10. |
| Comment by:- Dave B | | 18 October 2004 | ip: logged |
