The Others Review

        I think it’s tradition at this point where I talk about a dramatic ghost story. While it has elements of horror, its not one of those scary movies that some people tend to believe. Within the 90s and 2000s is what I’ll dub the dark age of horror. Most of the past franchises that defined the 80s were losing steam as the quality of sequels diminished. And inevitably remade for a new audience in the 2000s. Some outliers like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and Scream added a more meta-angle to horror. And you have M. Night Shyamalan introducing a different type of ghost story. This one from Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar, is on par with Shyamalan’s film.

1. Grace and The Intruders

        My childhood was something else with the level of exposure of horror films through parody films. I distinctly remember the first time I was exposed to The Others was I was road tripping with family friends and Scary Movie 3 was playing. Of course it was hilarious, but all the references like most things flew above my head. With “Michael Jackson” coming out of nowhere in the film. So when watching this film, I immediately was giggling with the memory but the whole film has a unique angle with telling a ghost story. 

        We follow Grace as she welcomes the new help with maintaining her mansion. Her and along with her two children live alone while her husband is off in combat during World War 2. As the help do their duties, Grace and the children hear noises in their house and try to figure out where they’re coming from. Not to give too much away, since I’ll be talking about that in the next tab, but I love the sense of mystery that the film has going for it. I think it helps when there’s fog engulfing the whole house that easily sets the tone of the vibe we’re feeling. 

        As I mentioned earlier, this isn’t like all the horror movies where there’s cheap scares noise that pops up every now and then. It’s a very cerebral film where we’re with Nicole Kidman’s Grace as she’s trying to be a good mom to her kids and try to find the invaders in their home. I was surprised with how Kidman did her British accent. One of the few Americans that can be convincing and pull off a decent accent. Her whole thing is that she’s lovingly controlling to her kids as she wants them to learn the Bible and be educated. 

        The one knock on her is that she wants the curtains in the home to be covered. It’s established that her children are photosensitive and have light allergies. When the action starts to turn by having them open and then removed is when Grace starts to be erratic. All of it is justified since she wants to protect her kids from anything happening to them. To me it enhances the story since we can assume that the ghosts are toying with them and making Grace’s life more hectic. 

        The maids and the groundskeeper are good characters. Especially Mrs. Mills who is the voice of reason to Grace when they both talk after something happens. I like their relationship since Grace can be standoffish but listens to what Mills tells her. It’s a unique dynamic where Mills tends to the children when they have a ghostly encounter. Making Grace feel worthless as a mother. I think one of my favorite scenes involving both is when Grace goes to the attic and finds books with dead people. Mills explains to her what it is, but the owner is horrified by people having that. 

        Before I talk about how the Ghost Story archetype is handled, I should at least tease with how the supernatural elements play out. The good chunk of the perspective is focused on the key characters. We don’t see the apparitions or anything that are causing the noises and upending Grace’s family life. It’s always the things that we don’t see that is frightening and it’s inevitably revealed as to who exactly is causing it. Just the execution is spot on since the film has a psychological angle to it and having it be an unorthodox, haunted house story. 

2. Ghost Story

        Before I talk about the twist, I should elaborate on the clues that are visually given to us as the film progresses. What I love about the whole setup is that you have this house in the British Islands that is completely isolated with any help. Made apparent and amplified with the fog that surrounds the location and even stretching in the outskirts. It fits the vibe that something is really off with the family and that nothing appears ordinary when watching the film. Such as having the windows closed, no electricity and the fact that the children recite biblical lessons. 

        I just love how the reveal is slowly revealed when we see that the children’s father Charles arrives. He’s only there for a little bit but he’s so disconnected with everything that he relegates himself to the bedroom. One visual clue is revealed when Grace opens the drawer and the reflection of the bed is empty. With the little time that he’s in, its hinted that their relationship was already rocky and that he has to leave once more. It makes so that his return is cyclical and that he goes and comebacks. 

        So I should probably talk about the twist. In comparisons to this one and The Sixth Sense, this one of course has the reveal be gradual as the help know that they’re dead. Shymalan’s film has it be where it’s color coded to communicate to the audience that Bruce Willis’ character is dead. With this one it’s revealed to Grace that their whole family is dead through a séance that she and her children see. The execution of it is great, emboldening Grace to affirm that she and her family won’t leave. And the fact that they have contend with residing with the living in their home. 

        There’s a human element at play when we have the character personify a ghost. I love how the film approached it where they’re not in denial at first but just can’t fathom that they are dead among the living. To the point where they can’t find the people that are making the noises and moving the furniture. I would’ve liked it if it was a visual reversal where the humans are like shadows, as a red herring to the characters that we’re following. All of it in just how it was shown visually and with the story makes it interesting as a ghost story. 

3. Overall

        The Others is one of the best dramatic horror films of the 2000s and one of the best in the decade.