Highly recommended

Rating: 9/10 (12 January 2003)

I really didn't know what to expect when I went to see this film. I had been told that it was worth seeing, but nothing more. The two main reasons behind me wanting to see the movie were :
1) It was around Halloween & I wanted to see a scary movie 2) I had seen Mulholland Dr. and really liked Naomi Watts' performance
With that in mind, I expected the film to be decent.
But the film was much more than decent. It was downright creepy. Very creepy. It's important to understand the difference between "scary" and "creepy". Scary can be accomplished in a matter of seconds (someone jumping out from behind a wall with a knife). Creepy is something that takes a while to accomplish in a film. It takes a long time on the part of the director. It requires more attention and time on the part of the viewer. This film managed to accomplish creepy very well. It reminded me of the older generation of horror films, which managed to grab you in a way that was very psychological ("The Omen", "Rosemary's Baby", and of course "The Exorcist"). Those types of horror are the ones that always stick with me. They are the ones that endure. They are the ones that I inevitably have to watch for at least a little bit when I pass them on late night cable even though I have seen them countless times.
creepy film
very well made
one of the best films of 2002