A masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 2002)

The Others is a great film, excellent in every way. Every now and then something truly outstanding comes along and so it was with The Others. Nicole Kidman, quite possibly the most beautiful woman of our time, checked her ego at the door and dressed down to portray a depressed war widow with two young children. The mood and atmosphere are perfect and one waits with eager anticipation the next offering of the film's young director, Alejandro Amenabar.	The time is just after World War II and the place is a gloomy house sitting in the mist of the Jersey Isle. One is reminded of Wuthering Heights with the constant sense of Gothic dread and unease which Amenabar so capably created. Grace's (Kidman) children are ultra sensitive to light and the house must be kept dark at all times, a point which Grace hammers home to the new house servants who unexpectedly show up at her doorstep to offer their services. It seems they have worked in this house before and know it well -- too well as we soon see. Grace's daughter claims to see visions of others in the house and Grace worries about her emotional health. The daughter is precocious, her son unhealthily timid and it is obvious Grace is a very burdened woman.	Grace becomes convinced that the house is indeed haunted and the suggestions of hauntings are what make this film a masterpiece. Unexplained sounds, sightings, shadows and timely creaking doors come along at just the right time. By the film's last few minutes, we have learned about the mysterious house servants and Grace's husband. We are now on the threshold of learning a dark secret and experiencing an interesting plot twist.	The use of shadows, lighting, sound, music and the body movement of the players (I have not mentioned what a fine supporting cast appears with Ms. Kidman, another important reason this is such a fine film) bring back memories of the conventional haunted house stories of days gone by. 21st century technology is an asset, not a burden here, and that is, sadly, not always the case. It is interesting to note also that The Others is every bit as atmospheric viewed in your living room as it was on the theatre big screen and that is a credit to Amenabar's skill. You may even say his genius, because this is one fine piece of work. It may very well be that this becomes his signature offering, for it will be very difficult for him to top The Others.