Not that big a surprise

Rating: 6/10 (12 August 2001)

Contrary to the advertising for this movie, the ending is not as big a surprise as they would have you believe. I won't give away the ending, but suffice to say that with the plethora of "misleading" movies out there today it isn't hard to figure out what is going on.
The whole of the movie is dimly lit and overly spooky. The movie is set in a large manor house with curtains on all the windows to protect the children from the sunlight (they are photo-sensitive). A constant supply of fog, austere costumes and actors who could sit for American Gothic complete the setting. Frankly, by the time the real intense part of the movie started I was already inured to the setting. And that was one of the great failures of the movie. Trying to keep the audience on the edge of their seats the entire movie is a losing proposition. Although there were a few jump scenes that broke through and caused a few yells in the audience.
Overall the movie was fair, nothing too memorable, but probably worth seeing if you are into the suspense genre, or are a fan of Nicole Kidman. Somehow she seems way too at home in these period pieces. I gave it 7/10.