Alejandro Amenábar’s “The Others” is a surprise in a year filled with tepid, tripe we get over-hyped force-fed at the box-office. “The Others” is a very sophisticated anecdote of complex and well paced horror in a time where horror has plodded. The atmosphere and Gothic aesthetic feels like classic supernatural horror in the vein of Robert Wise’s “The Haunting,” with reliance on old school horror devices and unique elements of mystery and ambiguity rather than full CGI.
Nicole Kidman plays Grace, a woman on the far deserted side of England, where she and her two children live cloaked in darkness. She is a recluse and often times overbearing woman who keeps her children hidden in the house. She hides them from the daylight due to the kids’ allergy to the sun, which creates a sense of stir craziness among them, as well as a veritable tension that begins rising to the surface. When three strangers appear seeking work, Kidman begins suspecting their motives are less than noble, especially with the increase in supernatural activity around the house.
Amenábar’s genre entry is a surefire relief from the typical box office nonsense that delivers well and feels like more Guillermo Del Toro-lite fare. It’s dark and eerie, while also focusing primarily on character and using the emphases on character to build the mystery and reach the ultimate explosive climax. Nicole Kidman’s work in the film is mesmerizing as she plays a woman verging on insanity who is tested when she begins experiencing outside influences that may or may not be interfering with her relationship with her already troubled children.
Alakina Mann plays well off of Kidman, providing tension and remarkable friction that make their somewhat bitter dynamic absolutely gut wrenching. “The Others” is a downbeat and brutally effective mystery that offers a satisfying surprise that will leave many longing for genre efforts with more substance and depth. Admittedly, “The Others” is a slow boil thriller that relies on mounting tension and subtlety, but the pay off works and made for a rather stellar film all things considered.