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When you’ve seen so many haunted house movies that they all run together, you begin to find yourself somewhat jaded towards the genre altogether. The past few years have seen an on-and-off resurgence in haunted house flicks, some good but mostly bad. Even blockbuster movies like THE SIXTH SENSE and THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT contain certain elements of haunted house movies. By and large, though, few of the recent ghostly flicks have managed to interest audiences or generate any genuine scares — which is what they’re supposed to do. All too often, much more attention is paid these days to ‘hip’ casts and big-name directors as opposed to compelling stories or chilling visual style. That’s what makes Alejandro Amenabar’s THE OTHERS so surprising. It excels in both of those categories.
The year is . The setting is the Jersey in the Channel Islands, a perpetually mist-shrouded world where each home is isolated by miles and miles of fields and forests. The war has ended, but strict and righteous Grace has received no word from her husband, forcing her to continue raising her children on her own. Just one week prior to the opening moments of the story, all of the servants disappeared overnight, leaving Grace with the even more trying task of keeping up her massive home and ensuring that no bright light reaches the children, for prolonged exposure could kill them both. It is because of all this that when three new servants suddenly appear at her doorstep, Grace immediately accepts their help without thinking twice. She begins to question the decision, however, when strange things begin to take place all over the house, setting up one of the most riveting fight films of the past year.
THE OTHERS has a very classic appeal in many respects. It plays like a lost Universal-era ghost film, with Nicole Kidman fitting wonderfully into a role that could have easily been written for Lana Turner or Grace Kelly (perhaps the inspiration for the ‘Grace’ character). The tone is calm and quiet, making the moments when things get loud and aggressive stand out even more. Writer/director Alejandro Amenabar, whose previous credits include the films THESIS and OPEN YOUR EYES (premise for the Tom Cruise film VANILLA SKY), shows the skill of a weathered professional with his masterful staging and absolutely beautiful camerawork. Add in some refreshingly bare-bones special effects and a haunting score, and THE OTHERS has a recipe for perfection.
Now that’s not to say that the film is perfect. It does fall short ever-so-slightly here and there, mostly in terms of the (almost obligatory, these days) twists and turns of its story. The ‘surprises’ may not shock every viewer (most seasoned horror fans will likely see what’s coming long before it gets there), but this doesn’t hinder the film as much as you might think. Unlike a movie like THE SIXTH SENSE (which THE OTHERS has been unfairly compared to), it is not necessarily the revelation of the final moments of the film that is so entertaining, but rather the journey the characters take to get to that revelation. The evolution of Grace (as well as that of her daughter Anne) through the film is marvelously well-rounded and believable, and, most importantly, compelling. You might think you know exactly what is going to happen to her, but that doesn’t make watching it happen any less interesting or enjoyable.
And the film is scary. It was a stroke of brilliance working the children’s aversion to light into the story, casting % of the film in darkness. Clever direction and an amazing use of sound make even the most simplistic scenes and actions overwhelmingly scary. It’s hard to find a haunted house movie, even in these days of constant Hollywood repetition, that combines the important elements in such a satisfying way; it’s almost impossible to find one that does it as well as THE OTHERS.
#OVERALL SUMMARY
Wonderfully written, beautifully photographed, and really, really spooky, THE OTHERS is a classic haunted house flick. It’s a complete package of great performances, smart scares, and eerie atmosphere; a truly satisfying little flick.
