The Others (2001) Reviews

• Chilling!!

  ca_localgirl2001-10-24

  This is one of the best movies I have seen all year, and one of the top horror stories ever told. It's creepy, simplistic, and eerie. I was impressed by the 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 point where I was biting my nails in anticipation of the inevitable. Nicole Kidman's character, Grace... I was torn between empathy and disgust for her at times, but she definitely succeeded at captivating me with their lives and story. Predictable in parts, but it still leaves you guessing. This was a quality ghost story, with an old fashioned ambiance; downright spooky. I was in awe of the ending, a fairly intelligent premise. It's the kind of movie that lets you escape reality for a while by entertaining you, but at the same time, returns you to the "real world" with your spine tingling, wondering if there isn't some possibility of truth... Chilling.

  More

• Subtle, genuinely creepy and ... SUBTLE

  Coventry2004-11-04

  The Others is a very remarkable film from more than just one viewpoint. In an era where you can only impress young horror fanatics with bucket-loads of blood and gross-out effects, Amenábar actually re-teaches his audience that fear is especially caused by suggestion and the absence of explicit images. The Others is the first intelligent horror film in years, completely relying on atmosphere and eerie set pieces. It's such a relief to finally see a subtle film that is also effective! I'm normally not much of Nicole Kidman fan but she's very convincing as the prudish, over-concerned mother who desperately tries to protect her children from the outside world (daylight in particular). She lives in a remote mansion and waits, along with her 2 children, for WWII to be over. With the arrival of 3 servants, strange events star to occur in the old house and the daughter spots 'intruders' everywhere. The screenplay - by Amenábar himself - is not totally unique (filmfreaks who're familiar with expressionism highlights from the 60's will quickly guess the hidden plot twist) but it's filled with ingenious findings and sublime dialogues. The Others reminds you of 'The Innocents' and there are far worse films to get compared with, if you ask me! What also is rather amazing about this production is that Amenábar seems so confident! This is his first giant Hollywood adventure with stars in the cast and American money and yet he has total control over everything. The acting is great, the plot actually scares you and the directing is solid. The Others is a total winner and easily one of the greatest genre-films of the last few decades.

  More

• "THE OTHERS is a creepy film... that reminded me of an old 40s or 50s ghost story."

  SteveMadcow2001-12-02

  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+

  More

• A Beautiful Drama Entangled in Intense Thrills and Chills

  mercybell2001-08-10

  It's funny that I see this movie the way I do, perhaps I'm more perceptive to little dramatic, human touches, but I saw this movie and was satisfied with it. In fact, I fell in love with it. This movie is chilling, very spooky, with a few moments that will make you jump, but it's a movie that works itself up, and by the end of the movie you feel scared, and like someone has zapped you a few times, chilly from inside out, but fulfilled. People have been comparing this to "Sixth Sense". Though the movie may share similarities, this stands on it's own. It's content is not trying to send a message, except for a universal theme that you want to grasp onto. There is historical and religious content, purely in context for the twists and turns and nuances to make this film so complete in every aspect. Everything works so well. This movie takes pride in each scene, and each is set up so that you get the most of it. Everything relates to everything, you are given clues the entire movie, but it's set up so masterfully the ending is the suprise you've been waiting for. The performance by Kidman and the two children are one of a kind. It's a realistic interaction between siblings and a controlling, dysfunctional, but loving mother. The acting and writing (the script) is so well done, it adds for scattered scenes that will, hopefully, stick around with you for a long time. There's this one beautiful scene in the movie, it's where Grace (Nicole Kidman) is hugging her son, and her daughter (who is slightly estranged from her mom) runs up and hugs her, and there this look of absolute release on the face of Grace. Another great scene is when Grace carries her rifle around the house (shoot the ghost!), and she's desperately trying to protect her house and children. There are more like that, so keep your eyes open. The cinematography is innovative and brilliant, camera angles and the lighting set everything up so well. The lighting is very important as well, in fact, the subject of "light" is so well mixed into the story, the dark feels safer and more secure than the light does. There are times when you long for the darkness, just as the characters long for the darkness (due to a part of the plot including a health condition of the children, which serves a basis for the mental thrill fest to come). To finish off this concoction, try to listen to the score, because it's very fitting. This is more of a drama than a thriller, though it deserves to be a thriller (it's scary), but the power of it's dramatic side comes bursting through. This is a beautiful movie, it has overtones of a more serious side, and it's a movie that hardly belongs in the horror section because of it's beauty, but it's too darned eerie, weird, and chilling to fit anywhere else.

  More

• Nicole Kidman rules!

  overthetop102001-08-15

  If I had to sum up this movie in a word, it would be "chilling." The Others is a delightfully atmospheric suspense film. It's tense, scary, and very memorable -- I don't think I'll ever forget the image of a terrified Nicole Kidman clutching her rosary beads around her shotgun as she tears down the halls of her dreadful Victorian mansion. Writer/director/composer Alejandro Amenabar creates a dark, dark atmosphere, in which you feel like you can't trust anyone. Nicole Kidman, in her brilliant performance as Grace, is supposedly the "heroine" of the film, but as I watched the movie I found myself more frightened of her than rooting for her; steely and overbearing, with a hint of psychotic hysteria in her icy eyes. And then the children, (held their own and even stole a few scenes from the more experienced players) were just hellishly creepy. The little girl was one of the most ominous characters I have ever seen in a film. And the servants (who were also finely played) will keep you guessing the whole way through. Every time you think you have it figured out, some of the household help will pop up and throw the whole framework off-kilter. The real attraction in this film is Nicole Kidman, following up her bravura performance as Satine in "Moulin Rouge" with a woman teetering between insanity and iron control. Grace has so many layers, and Kidman reveals almost all of them through her face. The film is anchored by her presence, and she plays off the other actors extremely well -- note the tense relationship she has with Anne, her daughter. When the two lock eyes, it's like watching two trains crash head-first into one another. The only disappointment in this movie is the ending, which is slightly anti-climactic. When you get to it, you'll be satisfied, and it ties up everything that's happened in the movie up to that point quite well. But it seemed almost anti-climactic, and I was left feeling a little bit let down. Overall, I gave The Others a 9/10.

  More