An expertly constructed haunted house story

Rating: 8/10 (8 February 2020)

"The Others" was the English-language debut of Alejandro Amenábar, who was at that time best known for "Abre Los Ojos", shortly thereafter the recipient of a Hollywood adaptation in the form of "Vanilla Sky". Here, Amenábar crafted an original screenplay that managed to breathe new life into the age-old haunted house sub-genre. Following on the heels of "The Sixth Sense", this movie is another classy supernatural thriller that keeps audiences guessing until the very end.
The story's main character is a British woman (Nicole Kidman) who lives in a remote country house with her two children shortly after the end of World War II. Her husband went away to war and, having not returned, is presumed dead. With the previous household staff having recently vanished, a trio of former servants arrive to offer their services. They are accepted into the household and soon become acquainted with the children's unique medical condition. The ingenious premise put forth by Amenábar is that the children are highly photosensitive and cannot be exposed to light. Thus, the house is draped in shadow out of necessity. This sets the stage for mysterious occurrences that may or may not be supernatural in origin.
The cast is small but well-assembled. Nicole Kidman is the focal point and she delivered an impressive performance in a demanding role. This type of movie doesn't often get recognized by prestigious awards bodies but Kidman nevertheless managed to land both a Golden Globe nomination & a BAFTA nomination. The actors that played her two children (Alakina Mann & James Bentley) were also up to the task. However, the best performance in a supporting role has to be that of Fionnula Flanagan as the enigmatic Mrs. Mills.
Amenábar certainly knows how to establish the proper atmosphere for a good old-fashioned haunted house story. Not only did he bring his script to life with visual panache, he also scored the movie. "The Others" does such a nice job of sustaining its suspense that you don't realize until it's over just how simple the story actually is. It's a simplicity that harks back to the written ghost stories of centuries past but presented with a verve that has no trouble transferring the timeless appeal to modern viewers. It's also a presentation that's elegant enough to appeal to more than just watchers of horror movies.