The Others

My main criticism of the movie Frost/Nixon was the fact that it took too long (in my opinion) to go anywhere. It just seemed like the movie was mainly set up of the characters, with a great 20 minutes at the end. So I liked it in general, but I don't like movies that need to catch up.

The Others is similar in that regard. It takes awhile to develop. I really think I'm just impatient with movies in general, liking to be drawn in from the get go, so it's not necessarily a criticism of the movie. It's actually more of a compliment that I was put off by the beginning, but ended up liking it so much more.

The movie has a twist and that's all I'll really say. For those who've seen it, they get it, and for those who haven't, I like letting people experience it for themselves. But it's not obvious and is truly a surprise. And it works so very well. Everything falls into place, and it's something you go over in your mind to find any holes to it, but I couldn't. It was an extremely satisfying well put together movie that works on so many levels.

Nicole Kidman as the lead seems straight forward, but by the end, you realize the subtle levels to her character that aren't immediately noticeable. I felt she was kind of boring, but her actions and the actions with her children paint a broader picture by the end. The children were quite engaging throughout the movie as well. I didn't feel cheated or mislead by the conclusion. It all fit together nicely.

It just comes down to the simple statement: well structured, well done.



My Score: 80
Metacritic: 74