The Uninvited

Plot synopsis:
Anna (Emily Browning) has been in a psychiatric institution for ten months, following her suicide attempt after her terminally-ill mother died in a boathouse fire. Now she is being discharged and has no memory of the fire, only dreams about it that involve three strange children. While packing, Anna is startled by a talkative patient. She is finally able to leave with her father, Steven (David Strathairn).
At home, Anna reunites with her sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel). The sisters are very close, and they are united against Steven's girlfriend Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), who was their mother's live-in nurse. Alex criticizes Steven for sleeping with Rachel while the girls' mother was still alive, but he ignores her. Anna describes to Alex how scenes from her dreams have started happening while she is awake. The sisters become convinced that their mother is sending a message: the fire was murder, and Rachel is the killer.
Anna sees her old boyfriend Matt (Jesse Moss) and kisses him. He tells her that he saw everything at the fire and the two secretly plan to meet, but he doesn't show up. Later, she awakens from another dream to find him climbing into her window. He says she needs to know the truth; he had a warning from her mother. His body warps, his back breaking. Anna runs from the room and suddenly it is morning and Matt's dead body is pulled out of the water, his back broken just the way Anna saw it.
The sisters are unable to find a record of Rachel with the State Nursing Association. Finally they learn she is actually Mildred Kemp, a nanny who killed the three children from Anna's dreams because she was obsessed with their widowed father. They try to warn Steven but he gets upset and leaves for work. The girls try to gather evidence but they are confronted by Rachel who drugs Alex. Anna escapes and goes to the police. Skeptical, they call Rachel to sedate Anna and drive her home.
Rachel carries Anna to bed. Anna sees Alex in the doorway with a knife and passes out. Later, Anna wakes and finds a large blood trail leading to the dumpster and Rachel's body inside. Alex is nearby with the knife. The girls comfort each other, and Steven comes home. Anna explains that Rachel attacked them and Alex saved her. Confused, Steven says that Alex died in the fire. Anna sees she's not holding Alex's hand like she thought, but the bloody knife.
Anna finally remembers the fire. After catching her father and Rachel together, Anna filled a watering can from a large gasoline tank in the boathouse and carried it toward the house, intending to burn it down. She left a trail that ignited when a candle fell over; Alex and her mother were killed in the resulting explosion. She remembers meeting Matt as planned and killing him. Flashbacks reveal that whenever it appeared as if the two sisters were together, Anna had always been alone. Anna realizes that Steven was not ignoring Alex earlier; her sister was never there. She sees that she had the knife used to kill Rachel all along.
Steven tells the police that Rachel changed her name because of an abusive boyfriend as Anna is arrested and taken back to the institution. The police ask why Anna would make up the Mildred story but Steven has no answers. Anna is welcomed back by the patient that scared her earlier; the name plate on the door says "Mildred Kemp".

Tags: horror, psychological, gothic

Review:
While many people are just so put off by this film for many reasons, I was very surprised by how it actually turned out.Although the original, "A Tale of Two Sisters", was an epic movie that delivered certain moods and feelings that this movie (and most other films to date) couldn't quite capture, this film was still just great.One thing to understand was that this movie was completely westernized.
It kept the viewer engaged right up to the ending and while it seemed somewhat formulaic in terms of plot development and things that go bump in the night, it had plenty of scary moments and more than served its purpose, which was a few hours of entertainment.Most of the movie deals with the relationship of sisters Anna and Alex with Rachel, the girlfriend of their father.
This guessing game continues until the dramatic ending.The screenplay was very good, the cinematography captured the rocky coastline of Maine nicely, and the film was helped by good performances from Elizabeth Banks as Rachel, David Strathairn as the father, and Emily Browning as Anna.This was a good horror movie well worth checking out..
I saw this movie BEFORE the original Korean horror film ('A Tale of Two Sisters' ) that it was based on and I found this a bland, blunter, popcorn shocker version of the film.The sole merit of this film is Emily Browning.
Oh, and the cheesy J Horror ghosts moments seem more Scary Movie than The Ring.The Korean original was creepier, confusing in parts but it comes together in the end and the cinematography is beautifully framed (one impressive shot comes out from underwater and up onto a deck where the titular sisters are sitting).
Banks, who has proved her on screen versatility in an eclectic choice of roles in multiple pics over the past year, here goes for the fairy tale Step mother - the steel under her smile was borderline hammy but she definitely is one of the best (and overlooked) actresses in the business.All in all - avoid this film and seek out the Korean original instead but if it turns up on cable and you have 87 minutes to waste - watch it for Browning and Banks and the fun of yawning at a schlock-y story.
After being cleared for release from a mental hospital, Anna (Emily Browning) returns home to her writer father Steven (David Strathairn) and sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel).
With this in mind, she sets out with Alex to prove Rachel is not everything she seems.I did not expect much from The Uninvited, but surprisingly, I received a lot more than I expected.Despite being an American remake of the Korean film A Tale of Two Sisters, The Uninvited does enough to make it stand out on its own.
It frequently blends horror with psychological terror, developing a movie that could have easily been a throwaway scare-flick for pre-teens to scream through, but ends up being a fairly accomplished film.
It deals with a teen named Anna Rydell(Emily Browning) , after spending a stint in a mental institution, return to the home of their father , a famous writer named Steve (David Strathairn) who is now living with her late mother's nurse, Rachel Summer (Elizabeth Banks) and both Anna and her older sister Alex (Arielle Kebel) think Rachel was responsible for her mummy's death in a seaside house blow up the year before .
Along with her elder, spunkier sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel) she's soon warring with her frosty-knickered stepmother, and mom's former live-in nurse, Rachael (a miscast Elizabeth Banks, in Hand That Rocks The Cradle mode).In a scenario that would have Sigmund Freud jumping up and down and furiously pulling his beard, Anna becomes convinced that Rachael did away with her ailing charge and is plotting to kill the daughters next, the better to have dad (David Strathairn) all to her self.
And perhaps uniquely, among this era's crop of South-East Asian horrors, it managed to Tazer the nerves while gently breaking your heart.The Guard brothers' remake, by contrast, is the usual exercise in jump-scares and PG-13 thrills, more concerned with getting to the twist as swiftly as possible, like a conjuror who remembers he's left the iron on the moment he takes the stage.
But if a remake is any indication of how the original is generally miles better, especially if done by Hollywood, hen it probably is worth my while to put the Korean horror movie in my to-watch list.
This one took a long while to translate to The Uninvited, and I guess taking some 6 years indicated the filmmakers wanted to do things right instead of rushing through and come out with crap.As such the directing duo of the Guard Brothers Charles and Thomas managed to find some balance between telling a psychological thriller, and moments where they can properly employ tricks from the usual formula book to scare an audience, with the usual light and shadows, smoke and mirrors, warped beings, decomposed bodies and jump cuts with ghouls staring down at you.
Surprisingly it didn't rely on sound or lack thereof to add a further sensory dimension to set pulse racing, which I thought was a little let down in its moments to build up to the next "Boo!" If anything, the acting duo of Emily Browning (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, with pouty lips to rival Angelina Jolie's, and given special attention too in this narrative) and Arielle Kebbel shine as skimpily clad sisters Anna and Alex respectively, who have to rely on each other as they uncover the truth behind the death of their mom (Maya Massar).
Which makes me wonder just how much it'll take for shockmeisters to scare seasoned audiences since they're getting savvier, and easily bored with the same old bag of tricks.If anything, The Uninvited would have piqued your interest in the original, which has a longer run time and in all likelihood, the exploitation of mood and atmosphere that are quite standard tools for horror films from Asia, which is sorely lacking in this version.
The film was not suspenseful at all.It was entirely too much time spent showing us details that explain what's about to happen in upcoming scenes.Then to make it worst once you find out the big plot, it wraps up with even more "explanation scenes." The focus in this poor remake is clearly on the beauty of the young actresses (Emily Browning and Arielle Kebbel).There are a few jumpy moments but nothing I didn't forget about the next day Also, they say this move is PG13, I wouldn't want to watch this with a 13 year old and sure wouldn't want my 13 year old watching it with their friends.I would hate to hear what the conversation would lead to after they've watched a couple of the scenes in this movie.Adults are better off seeing the Korean version "A Tale of Two Sisters", if you don't mind reading subtitles..
sorry but i hated this film, the original film it is a remake of , 'a tale of two sisters' is my favourite non gory horror film so i guess this was always going to have a hard job delivering the goods.
there have been remakes as bad as this (sorority row, black Christmas etc) but none of them made me as annoyed as this one.bottom line, don't waste your time, watch the original instead, even if you don't like subtitles, American remakes of Japanese films suck..
All this is told in flashbacks after the opening scene of Anna getting out of the asylum where she's been undergoing therapy for shock, guilt, horrible nightmares, and sounds of little bells.She returns home and tries to pick up the pieces of her life, but Mom's old LPN (Elizabeth Banks) has taken up with Dad (David Strathairn) in her absence, and Anna and older sister Alex are resentful.
It was only after coming here that I read this was supposed to be a remake of the Tale of Two Sisters; dumbed down is right, it's the marketable, prefab version smoothed out for our precarious amusement.I am not a fan of the Ji-Woon film, but whereas that was frightfully complex, this is comfortably simple; you can recommend it to your group of friends, co-workers, family, and be sure it's going to be the blandest choice every time.
While The Uninvited, a remake of the Asian film A Tale of Two Sisters, is by no means flawless, it is however tense, well acted and boasts one of the best and most unexpected twist endings since last years The Orphanage.
It's not until the big twist comes ten minutes from the end that it finally becomes a little bit interesting but it's far to late to save this film and to be honest , the twist is just a " Sixth Sense" rip off .
Most horror movies these days have little substance/weak storyline/dumb plots of just plain boring or predictable scenes.
thought the story is not an uncommon one, it is however put together with clues and twists that are similar to the ring as well as good sound choices to help accentuate the flow of the story.the one thing that was unfortunate leading up to the movie release was the way the trailer was produced to help draw people to see it.
THE UNINVITED is ANOTHER redundant remake of an Asian horror, the original in question this time being the Korean A TALE OF TWO SISTERS.
If it wasn't for the original movie, this wouldn't be bad at all, coming across as a mildly spooky horror/mystery combo with a decent twist at the end.Sadly, having seen the original first (thank goodness) I can report that this is the inferior film in every respect.
It feels like it's been dumbed down for US audiences, the narrative simplified and the mystery reduced to its most basic levels, a simple whodunit-style murder yarn with a couple of ghostly scenes thrown in for good measure.The problem with THE UNINVITED is that it fails to be scary - the couple of ghost scares we're treated to having been too obviously copied on the likes of THE GRUDGE - and the acting isn't much to write home about.
The twist ending would have been great if we hadn't seen it all before, leaving THE UNINVITED far from the worst of the remakes out there, but hardly a great movie in itself..
(My summary is also the very first line of the film.) A young girl begins to suspect that the woman who nursed her mother while she was dying is a psychopath and wants to kill people, including her and her sister, to get to her father.What we get is a poorly constructed and somewhat confusing series of events that play out as if they were thrown together at the last moment to appeal to the teeny-bopper generation.
It leaves so many questions unanswered and many plot points unrealistic and, at times, downright laughable.This films tries to be more clever than it actually is, so do yourself a favor: be clever, rent the original Korean film "A Tale of Two Sisters." You'll get your money's worth, and you won't be treated like an idiot for an hour and a half..
i was skeptical of this movie at first,for two reason reasons.number one is that it is a remake of an Asian film,which usually doesn't bode well.number two is that it seems we have been flooded with movies of this genre the last few years.neither my friend nor i had seen the original,and it would cost us nothing but our time,so we thought,what the heck,let's give it a shot.turns out it wasn't half bad,once it got going,just after the 40 minute mark.from that point on,things start happening,and a good little mystery begins to develop.Elizabeth Banks,who is a very good comedic actress,shows some great dramatic ability here.i would have given this movie a 7 if it hadn't taken so long to get going.hence 6/10.
When i went to see this movie how bad this remake was, but i came out happy.This is really good remake and l liked what they did with this movie They kept some scene (A Tale OF two sisters) and change it little and made bit more creepy which worked really well!
This movie seems to have been inspired by a Korean production called "A Tale of Two Sisters", but as I did not see this film I do not know exactly if it is a remake or if it only removed some elements, inspiring itself to create a new story.
Especially Arielle Kebbel and Elizabeth Banks, with a nice, smaller role by horror veteran Jesse Moss.Much of the film plays out sort of like a mystery.
Though the twist itself seems so obvious when looking back on the scenes after the fact but comes off incredibly well and shocking here with the really startling manner it flashes back at the end with the encounter in the house being shown what really happened and how the girl got everything done in real life which gives this some nice bits of action as well as clearing up a lot of the other lame story lines.
If you haven't gotten thoroughly tired of this kind of thing by now, then The Uninvited might be worth the price of two movie tickets.The film mainly focuses on its trio of gorgeous female stars (Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks and Arielle Kebbel).
The uninvited is a pretty entertaining movie with scary scenes and good plot twists.
I found The Uninvited on IMDb and saw it got an okay rating (6.4) as a horror/suspense film.(Usually I think that horror movie above 6 could give it a try) So I watched it and thought...
It feels more like a thriller than a horror, and a badly done thriller at that.The acting is a mixed bag: Emily Browning (who plays Anna) gives a great performance; she is believable and makes you feel connected to the character.
From the producers of "The Ring" and "Disturbia" (the movie, not the song) comes "The Uninvited", a classic thriller with great characters, some startling scenes, terrific performances, and surprisingly good acting.This is an American remake of a foreign horror movie called "Tale of Two Sisters".
It's a shocker how undeniably entertaining this horror-thriller really is.It's not just a great way to spend 87 minutes and kill time, it's a great piece of entertainment that contains a huge twist that I will absolutely not reveal to you.I want you to find out for yourself for it will ruin your expectations.The performances in the movie are great.Emily Browning is fantastic and pretty attractive, but the real key to success is the stunning and rather sexy Elizabeth Banks.Sure, she was good in "Slither", but here she delivers her best performance.So what is there to say about "The Uninvited"?
Besides this wonderful surprise, "The Uninvited" offers up some very accomplished acting by its four leads (Emily Browning as Anna, Arielle Kebbel as her sister, Elizabeth Banks as the prospective stepmother from hell, and David Strathairn as the seemingly oblivious dad) and some gorgeous location shooting, with Bowen Island (north of Vancouver) standing in for the Maine locale.
This is not really a horror movie, it is more onto a thriller with a slight element of horror.The story: Anna played by Emily Browning returns home from a mental hospital.
It is very mysterious and will drive you insane on how the film ends.Anna and Alex had good sister relationship.
This has got to be one of the best movies I've seen in a long time; not sense Hide and Seek in 2005.I sat down to watch this movie, thinking that, just like so many other horror movies, it'd end up being mediocre.
"The Uninvited" is a remake of the Korean horror film "A Tale of Two Sisters," which I have seen.
Giving her more time with her father, or her sister, in the beginning of the film could have gone a long way in making me care for their relationships.Instead, the movie wastes time with stupid nightmare scenes.
During the other 86 minutes, "The Uninvited" looks like every other American horror movie from the 2000s.Also, on of the twists is quite predictable.
I haven't seen the original film so I came into this film not knowing what to expect.All the actors were good and engaging (especially Emily Browning as Anna and Elizabeth Banks as Rachel), and I found myself drawn into their world.
This is a great thriller, in the thriller category I give it a 10 Now the Secret Window was a piece of garbage and almost ruined my love for psychological thrillers but this one has brought me back.Early in the movie right when this young man comes riding up on his boat, you think the plot is completely revealed, but you'd be wrong.This movie is just exciting, every moment you become more and more excitedand the ending just throws you for loopsAnother remake of Asian Horror, this one actually delivers and I would believe it does the original justice.
all together not a bad little movie,, some scares,, thrills , plot twist,, all that good stuff that makes you want to watch a great movie..
After watching this for the 3rd time, I've decided to edit this review in order to make it more accurate and objective.Like many excellent Horror films (especially Ghost Stories), The Uninvited is a remake of an Asian film (A Tale of Two Sisters).
I've always considered The Sixth Sense to have the best plot twist yet, but The Uninvited actually gives it a fight.The main plot is not that original, and tells the story of Anna (Emily Browning) coming home after 10 months in a mental institution, where she's been trying to cope with the trauma of losing her sick mother to a fire.
Still, I can't stress enough how the end and twist catch you off guard, even if you're an experienced Horror and Thriller spectator.Watching the film for the 3rd time reveals absolutely no plot holes, no screenplay errors, and no shortcomings.