Rating- * * * * (4/5)
Some of my favorite movies of the past few years have been part of the new brand of supernatural thrillers. These are movies that have a dark, brooding atmosphere like a horror movie, the twisting plot of a thriller, and the emotion and depth of a drama. The Others fits this category well and was without a doubt one of my favorite movies of the year. The story is so original, the tone so well defined; even the cheap scares are well done. This movie stars Nicole Kidman as the mother of two sickly children who are allergic to sunlight. While her husband is away at war, Kidman must face the task of caring for the children all by herself in a new house. She cannot allow any sunlight to enter into the rooms that the children could go into. Are you seeing how this setup might be scary? As if all of this weren’t enough, Kidman is beginning to hear strange noises; doors slam inexplicably, objects are moved, and there are even some blinds being left open. The movie very slowly unfolds leaving us clues and hints that something is not quite right in this big spooky mansion. The style is cold and beautiful at the same time and the film is careful never to reveal too much at one time. While it does move rather slowly, it is definitely worth your patience to get to the fantastic surprise ending. All of the acting in the movie is superb and we really feel the fear in Nicole Kidman’s face. One recommendation for watching this movie; if it is at all possible, use a surround sound speaker system with rear speakers. This technology is utilized better in this movie than any other movie I’ve seen and it made this film the only movie to ever make me scream out loud in the theatre. If you like to be scared out of your chair but still have something to think about afterwards, this is the movie for you.