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Amazon.co.uk Review
A welcome throwback to the spooky traditions of Jack Clayton's The Innocents and Robert Wise's The Haunting, Alejandro Amenábar's The Others favours atmosphere, sound, and suggestion over flashy special effects. Set in 1945 on a fog-enshrouded island off the British coast, the film begins with a scream as Grace (Nicole Kidman) awakens from some unspoken horror, perhaps arising from her religiously overprotective concern for her young children, Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley). The children are hypersensitive to light and have lived in a musty manor with curtains and shutters perpetually drawn. With Grace's husband (Christopher Eccleston) presumably lost at war, this ominous setting perfectly accommodates a sense of dreaded expectation, escalating when three strangers arrive in response to Grace's yet-unposted request for domestic help. Led by housekeeper Mrs Mills (Fionnula Flanagan), this mysterious trio is as closely tied to the house's history as Grace's family is--as are the past occupants seen posthumously in a long-forgotten photo album. With her justly acclaimed performance, Kidman maintains an emotional intensity that fuels the film's supernatural underpinnings. And while Amenábar's pacing is deliberately slow, it befits the tone of penetrating anxiety, leading to a twist that extends the story's reach from beyond the grave. Amenábar unveiled a similarly effective twist in his Spanish thriller Open Your Eyes (remade by Cameron Crowe as Vanilla Sky), but where that film drew debate, The Others is finely crafted to provoke well-earned goose bumps and chills down the spine. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Despite being ten years old, Alejandro Amenabar's 'The Other's' has emerged as a strong and excellently played out tale of ghosts, mystery and chills since it's release in 2001.
Living in virtual isolation in their mansion in the aftermath of World War II Grace (Nicole Kidman) and her two children live alone amidst a complex set of rules designed to protect the children from sunlight, due to a rare photosensitivity they have. When three servants arrive at the house an increasingly odd series of events begins to occur. As Grace becomes more and more suspicious of the servants motives, she must fight for both herself and her children against something she cannot yet understand.
With strong shades of 'The Turn of the Screw' and 'The Innocents' underpinning it 'The Others' is nonetheless a very well written and executed tale of a haunted house with an excellent leading performance from Nicole Kidman. Using classic ghost story motifs and tricks, Amenabar skillfully tightens the tension grip until the final climax of the film when all is revealed. And even without a drop of bloodshed it still packs a punch in the scares department. That said, the two child actors are also excellent and Fionnula Flannagan plays her role well as the servants role in events becomes clearer.
A top notch quality ghost story. The Blu-ray transfer appears to have been nicely done but this isn't a lavishly visual effects based story so it's harder to tell. Picture quality certainly did appear to have the expected sharpness though. Extras have been transferred over just as they were on the original 2 disc DVD edition of the film which means that you get a 20-odd minute behind the scenes, a visual effects comparison and a ten minute feature highlighting a real couple whose child suffers from the condition the film's children suffer from. Essentially, watch once and then forget style extras.
Living in virtual isolation in their mansion in the aftermath of World War II Grace (Nicole Kidman) and her two children live alone amidst a complex set of rules designed to protect the children from sunlight, due to a rare photosensitivity they have. When three servants arrive at the house an increasingly odd series of events begins to occur. As Grace becomes more and more suspicious of the servants motives, she must fight for both herself and her children against something she cannot yet understand.
With strong shades of 'The Turn of the Screw' and 'The Innocents' underpinning it 'The Others' is nonetheless a very well written and executed tale of a haunted house with an excellent leading performance from Nicole Kidman. Using classic ghost story motifs and tricks, Amenabar skillfully tightens the tension grip until the final climax of the film when all is revealed. And even without a drop of bloodshed it still packs a punch in the scares department. That said, the two child actors are also excellent and Fionnula Flannagan plays her role well as the servants role in events becomes clearer.
A top notch quality ghost story. The Blu-ray transfer appears to have been nicely done but this isn't a lavishly visual effects based story so it's harder to tell. Picture quality certainly did appear to have the expected sharpness though. Extras have been transferred over just as they were on the original 2 disc DVD edition of the film which means that you get a 20-odd minute behind the scenes, a visual effects comparison and a ten minute feature highlighting a real couple whose child suffers from the condition the film's children suffer from. Essentially, watch once and then forget style extras.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Very strong ghost story, with excellent performances and clever twists. Frightening without ever being obvious,
and I appreciate that it stresses atmosphere, character and subtlety over 'cats jumping from closets' type easy jolts,
or gore.
Probably the closest analog in feel is the 60s classic 'The Innocents'. Some very smart and unexpected turns, and a
lot of real emotion for this genre. Nicole Kidman is great, as are the two kids playing her children
A smashingly entertaining, stylish haunted house thriller.
The blu-ray is a notable step up in clarity and color.
and I appreciate that it stresses atmosphere, character and subtlety over 'cats jumping from closets' type easy jolts,
or gore.
Probably the closest analog in feel is the 60s classic 'The Innocents'. Some very smart and unexpected turns, and a
lot of real emotion for this genre. Nicole Kidman is great, as are the two kids playing her children
A smashingly entertaining, stylish haunted house thriller.
The blu-ray is a notable step up in clarity and color.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I remember the first time I watched The Others, it creeped me out a lot, but it still didn't stop me renting it out loads and watching it in the dark in the middle of no where!
The plot in the story follows Grace (Nicole Kidman) and her two children Anne and Nicholas (Alakina Mann, James Bently) who live in a mansion during World War 2 awaiting their husband/father's return from the war. It isn't long before 3 servants turn up and Grace takes them in. After this though strange things start happening, Anne says she can see people and hear people who Grace cannot. At first Grace nudges it off as a poor prank, but things get more and more serious and she starts to believe.
Things aren't all that simple though.. The reality of the matter is much more then Grace can handle..
The plot in the story follows Grace (Nicole Kidman) and her two children Anne and Nicholas (Alakina Mann, James Bently) who live in a mansion during World War 2 awaiting their husband/father's return from the war. It isn't long before 3 servants turn up and Grace takes them in. After this though strange things start happening, Anne says she can see people and hear people who Grace cannot. At first Grace nudges it off as a poor prank, but things get more and more serious and she starts to believe.
Things aren't all that simple though.. The reality of the matter is much more then Grace can handle..
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