Fear of death. Everybody has it. "The Others" (2001) is about death. The loneliness and chilliness of the inevitable. And the fear it causes.

Nicole Kidman plays Grace, a young woman who encounters that inevitable. She lives alone in a big country house together with her two small children Anne and Nicholas who are allergic for daylight. Because of this allergy the curtains have to be closed all the time. Her children claim to hear strange noises and to see ghosts. Something the strong religious Grace cannot believe. Until the moment comes that she sees one herself. From then on she desperately tries not to get insane. Slowly she comes to the situation she has to face it alone. She gets isolated in her creed, but without losing her true faith and motherlove. As a result Grace receives somekind of sympathy and compassion.

Long shadows, creaking doors and footsteps on the attic brings out the horror in The Others. No monsters, serialkillers or bloody sadists who with the help of special effects causes terrible slaughter. That deserves compliments, because it shows a lot of guts to make that kind of movie and to believe in it. After all in the fifties the formula was bleed dry completely. That is why it’s so amazing that The Others became an original movie, with deep fears. And proves that even nowadays it is still possible to make a good personal emotional horror movie.

Alejandro Amenábar, Spaniard and just 29 years old, has produced with The Others a movie that overtakes. With a lot of professional skill and love. Furthermore he wrote the movie himself. Also a movie that contains just a few, but real shockeffects. With a surprising and satisfying final. In short an unusual movie in the most positive way.

- February 2002 -

Grace   -   Nicole Kidman

Anne   -   Alakina Mann

Nicholas   -   James Bentley

  Written and directed by: Alejandro Amenábar

With thanks to: VPRO

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