Star rating: 5 out of 5

Rating: 9/10 (23 November 2003)

The Others is a riveting and darkly menacing thriller, yet, during the course of the film, not a drop of blood is shed and no one dies. It is a reflection on the talent of director Alejandro Amenabar that small things, like a door slamming shut in one's face or a ghostly hand upon one's cheek are far more frightening than any amount of special effects that films in this genre are increasingly becoming reliant upon. A sense of claustrophobia is introduced from the outset by the thick fog surrounding the house in which most of the action takes place, and also by the permanently closed curtains and doors that prevent sunlight from brightening the rooms.
In this house the light must always be contained, because the two young children (who live there with their mother) are photosensitive, and exposure to daylight will make them very ill. But it would seem that the family and their three somewhat mysterious servants are not the only inhabitants of the darkened house. Footsteps are heard, doors are opened, curtains are removed, but search as they may, nobody can find the perpetrators of these actions. And it would seem that whatever these beings are, they bear an ever-increasing amount of malevolent ill will towards the family.
The film's conclusion is unexpected, even for those viewers who have managed to second-guess an earlier plot twist prior to its revelation. The surprise factor is at least partly due to the outstanding performances by the cast; special mention must be made of Alakina Mann, who is a young actress with a very bright future. This film is an example of outstanding cinematic production, and to maximise its impact, it is best watched in a darkened room.