Do Not Watch If You Have A Nervous Disposition

Rating: Null/10 (15 September 2002)

The Others is the scariest film of 2001 and right up there with chilling films such as The Changeling, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, The Omen and The Sixth Sense.
Nicole Kidman plays what I believe to be her best role ever as she plays Grace Stewart who lives in a large house with two young children. Her husband has been missing in action since the end of the second world war. Grace is a strict Christian who can't let her children leave the house because they have a rare condition which causes them to react fatally to sunlight. One day three servants show up to start work at the house after three other servants left unexpectedly. Then, the horror starts.
The majority of the film is set in an eerie darkness where you never know what's hiding. I don't want to give anything away so I'll try to be vague. Grace believes there are intruders in the house and that is when the real horror starts. The film gives you a few clues (and a few red herrings) throughout and you are constantly wondering what the hell is going on? Is it all in the children's minds? Is the house haunted? Is there a more scientific explanation?
The ending of the film is extremely chilling and totally surprising. When the movie ended I had to quickly turn on the light because it sent a cold shiver through me. It was very original but downright scary and it stuck with me for awhile.
It's good to see that movies can still scare us without having a drop of blood shed. And this film reiterates the belief that horror that is implied and unseen is far scarier than guys in masks or rubber suits.