Run-of-the-mill Gothic Thriller

Rating: 5/10 (3 March 2004)

The performances are all marvelous -- most especially the young girl and Fionnula Flanagan. Kidman was just a tad too flamboyant for me in spots, one scene in particular conjuring up images of Nancy Kelly in the Bad Seed -- but overall, she was more than up to the task at hand. The suspense is real, and the visuals are quite well done. The sound track, sound effects, make-up, and costumes are all first-rate.
But, for me, the flimsiness (these days called delicacy and cheered by critics -- all things run in cycles) of the storyline and transparency of the twists make this an unmemorable time-killer. If you're into this kind of movie, it's probably worth an 8/10 -- for me 6/10 was the right number.