Monday, March 31, 2008

The Others (2001) - SPAIN , USA





The Others is a 2001 psychological horror/suspense film by the Spanish/Chilean director Alejandro Amenábar, starring Nicole Kidman. In the United States, it was rated PG-13 for thematic elements and frightening moments and runs around 100 minutes.

The Others is one of the top horror stories ever told. It's creepy, simplistic, and eerie.

Good things about this movie is enchanting simplicity of the plot, the lack of need for "Hollywood" special effects, and the haunting atmosphere that loomed over everything from beginning to end.

The first half, or even three quarters, seemed to move along a bit slowly, but it felt necessary to build the suspense to the most important point of the movie .

The film is set on Jersey Island, on the eve of the end of the second world war. Grace (Nicole Kidman), raises her two children by herself in a big mansion, teaching them religion, and protecting them from the external light. The kids suffer from an allergy that does not allow them to be exposed to daylight. As a result, all the shutters and doors are closed. But after she hires three servants, strange phenomena start.

The Others succeeds in the horror genre by being really scary as the director develops a fear of the unknown and madness. The strength of the film is to never go for violence or gore. Instead, he builds the fear in the imagination of the audience. Each closed door (and they all are in this house) masks what each one is afraid to find.The story and final twist are familiar, in the light of the recent trend in moviemaking: once again in The Others, the worlds of the living and the dead cross each other. The twist could easily be predicted, making The Others an answer to the Sixth Sense.With such an ending, flaws and inconsistencies come to light while a lack of originality can be criticized.

Nicole Kidman's brilliant turn is at the center of this sumptuously made supernatural thriller that builds and sustains creepy tension without ever relying on gory violence or special effects.

Like a stranger following in the blackness of twilight, The Others creeps up on an audience when they least expect it and leaves them breathless and dreading. It’s a throwback to psychological terror films of yesteryear.

Highly Recommended .

IMDB Info :

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230600/

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