Other Side of Bad

Rating: 5/10 (7 October 2001)

After suffering through two of the worst films ever made that fall into the same subgenre as The Others (if you had to guess, its The Haunting and House on Haunted Hill- the remakes) I was definitely starved for a subtle and spooky ghost story. So, why didn't I like The Others? It had a good cast, great set, a whole lotta fog. I guess what it really lacked was a feature length story. Not much actually happens in this film, simply because the story could have been told as a high brow episode of Tales from the Crypt. Too many of the shocks turn out to be nothing, simply because the movie is just dragging you along to its twist ending, and has to spend at least an hour and a half getting you there. Another detraction to the film is the characters. Not the performances mind you, just the characters being portrayed. As a filmgoer I do not demand moral, pure or saintly protagonists, just ones who I do not wish to throttle every time they speak, or don't speak in the case of one character. The lady of the household is a fussy witch. Her children are just a mild step up from brat. The servants are so docile and old they might as well be dead. I guess the servants were alright. For those in the mood for a quiet and haunting cinema experience, The Others may be just what they need. Me? I'm still looking. 5/10.