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THE
OTHERS review by Joseph B. Mauceri
REVIEW: At only twenty-nine years old, THE OTHERS is Alejandro Amenabar's third feature, and his first English-speaking film. Often I hear directors who claim because they did not have full artistic control on a film that it does not fully represent their vision. Amenabar serves as director, writer and composer, and delivers one of the most compelling supernatural dramas to grace the silver screen since "The Sixth Sense." THE OTHERS is a period piece, and the plot relies on a nice selection of subtle touches. The location is superb. Furthermore, photos of the dead, the elements for the children's home schooling, the toys, etc accentuate it. This milieu infuses a rich sense of history and tradition. Amenabar and cinematographer Aguirresarobe create a wonderful symphony of light and shadow. The mother claims that the children suffer from a rare photosensitivity disorder. The house must be kept in constant shadows. The effect is that right from the beginning you get a sense of the fragile nature of their situation. As the story progresses, the shots get tighter and you feel the characters being swallowed by the darkness. THE OTHERS does not rely on high-tech, cutting edge special effects to achieve its chills. Amenabar employs more traditional scares that are reminiscent of "The Haunting." There are things lurking in the shadows. We hear whispers, creaking doors, a piano playing in a locked room, etc. By not showing us the things lurking in the darkness he allows our imagination to conjure up dark things that live in our subconscious rendering his simple scares more effective. As is the case with "The Haunting" and "The Sixth Sense," THE OTHERS effectiveness is enhanced by an amazing cast. Nicole Kidman delivers an Academy Award worthy performance as Grace, a mother whose family is threatened by these unseen forces. She allows the audience to internalize the character's pain, dread and horror. She is a dynamic force that adds another level of jeopardy to the film. Further, the children actors are astounding. Portrayed as yin and yang, they add elements of vulnerability and rebellion. They do a marvelous job of keeping the audience distracted as to the true nature of these unseen "intruders." Their solid performances brought to mind other memorable child roles as in films like "Night of the Hunter" and "The Innocents." If American audiences find any fault with THE OTHERS it might come in the resolution of the dire nature of the mystery. A rather graphic event, I think most American directors would have chosen to reveal it through a series of special effects laden flashbacks. Amenabar relies on Nicole Kidman's skills as an actress and charismatic screen presence to unveil the circumstances through exposition. It is quite effective, but may not be what the greasy popcorn munching summer blockbuster audience wants. Regardless,
Alejandro Amenabar's THE OTHERS is a remarkable cinematic achievement
in a time of special effects blockbusters. Amenabar is a renaissance
filmmaker who fully utilizes the basic cinematic tools to craft
a truly spellbinding chiller. THE OTHERS is a rare moment where
all the elements come together to give audiences a memorably scary
cinematic experience. OFFICIAL WEB SITE:NONE
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SYNOPSIS:
In the final days of World War II, a woman waits for her husband
to return from the war in a Victorian mansion on the Isle of Jersey.
Trying to manage the house and raise her two young children, she
hires three new servants to replace the ones the fled in the night
without any explanation. Shortly after their arrival, a series of
supernatural events begin to undermine the safety of her family,
and her daughter reveals that she is communicating with "intruders."
As she begins to believe in the supernatural nature of these events,
she realizes that she must abandon her fears to confront them and
save her family.