A classic old-fashioned ghost story

Rating: 7/10 (22 September 2016)

Following in the footsteps of THE SIXTH SENSE (to which it is indebted with its many plot twists and revelations), THE OTHERS is a throwback to the older, more gentle (but no less terrifying) style of horror which is more about dark shadows, things moving in empty rooms, and atmosphere and style rather than graphic shocks or unwanted comedy relief. Which is why THE OTHERS is by far the best horror film that I have seen in 2001 so far, and with the year inexorably drawing to a close it's a fair bet that this film be the best horror film of the year full stop. Although the slow pacing means that some scenes of inaction inevitably drag, THE OTHERS holds your attention span with some well-portrayed shock sequences, lots of creepy bits, and strong acting from an above-average cast who breathe life into their roles.
I was complaining recently about recent horrors like JEEPERS CREEPERS which assault the delicate senses of the audience by aurally battering them with loud bursts of music during the scare sequences; thankfully, THE OTHERS has only one or two such scenes and is much more frightening when concerning unexplained and diabolic events occurring on screen. For me, the scariest moment - which can almost cause one to look away in fright - is when Kidman sees that her daughter has somehow turned into a withered old crone, a truly disgusting and terrifying scene. This type of thing is often done well in horror stories but not so successfully in film, well that's not the case here.
The setting of the large country mansion is a good one, and the plot contrivance of Kidman having to keep all the curtains shut due to the fact that her children are light-sensitive makes for an excellent visual contrast on screen between dark and light, with plenty of atmospheric shadows in which things might be lurking. There's also a fantastic sequence in which Kidman goes out into the woods and finds herself lost in the fog, which is conveyed so that you feel like you're there. The music of course complements what's going on up on the screen, and the best efforts of a fine cast also help things out considerably. In fact there's the same kind of chill atmosphere as in classics like THE WOMAN IN BLACK or the BBC Ghost Stories for Christmas of the '70s, when you knew something horrible would be revealed but never knew quite what and were frequently horrified and surprised.
Nicole Kidman shows off her fine acting style and how she has matured as an actress since the days of DEAD CALM with a fine performance of a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and the child actors, both newcomers, are excellent as the quirky brother and sister. Also giving strong performances in the supporting cast are Fionnula Flanagan as the nanny, Christopher Eccleston (excellent in a tragic sub plot as Kidman's missing husband who mysteriously turns up), Eric Sykes as the gardener, Renee Asherson as a creepy old lady and Keith Allen.
Initially I thought (with the characters and setting) the film to be a remake of the Henry James classic The Turn of the Screw, made most famously with Deborah Kerr in 1961 as THE INNOCENTS. As the plot progresses, however, the story moves in very unexpected directions, ending with not one but two fantastic twists which you won't see coming (at least I didn't, but then I don't go looking for them). THE OTHERS is a breath of originality in what now amounts to a stale genre, and is miles ahead of teen slasher rubbish like the recent JEEPERS CREEPERS. I know which one I'd pick out of the two; the film with characterisation, unexpected situations, thankfully no special effects, and with a real, genuine atmosphere of chill and suspense.