The Others review

The Others is a really atmospheric horror movie and probably one of the best ghost stories I’ve seen in a very long while. Nicole Kidman plays strict and religious nut Grace who lives on the Jersey island in the British channel in a secluded mansion with her two children. The two young kids are photosensitive and cannot be exposed to direct sunlight so the house has the windows covered by curtains and kept dark for the most part. Adding to that you have Grace’s obsession about locking the doors behind her before unlocking the next in order to control the light which could harm her kids.

One day three strangers knock on the front door and say they saw an add about household servants and want to apply for the job. With the new servants in the household some weird things start to happen. The daughter keeps talking about seeing ghosts, and though her stories are disregarded by her mother Grace too starts to hear things in the big house. Sounds of furniture moving about, crying and footsteps.

Grace soon starts to suspect the servants and the daughter keeps talking about ghost sightings described as a family and an old woman – the old woman is said to have been seen most amount of time. The claustrophobic creeping horror and increased paranoia culminates in one of the best endings I’ve had the pleasure of watching.

The movie oozes atmosphere, the actors are all great- the kids in particular who feel authentic in their behavior. The story is a phenomenal mystery horror piece and the movie relies a lot more on suspense and atmosphere rather than jump scares and gore which is both welcome and refreshing. It simply slowly winds up, gathering momentum for the finale and then explodes in the most unexpected way.

Highly recommended.

9/10