Who are "the others" anyways?
Written: Aug 28 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It's shot well from a "Gee that's a pretty picture" standpoint.
Cons: It's been done before, and done better. On top of that, it WAS NOT scary.
The Bottom Line: If you have nothing to do and it comes down to this or Osmosis Jones then it may be worth your time. Otherwise rent The Sixth Sense.
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| dtonkin's Full Review: |
Background on My State of Mind
I was really excited about going to see this movie. I'd been waiting all week for it and, finally, last Friday got here. I went to see what I was expecting to be a scary movie or, at the least, something compelling. What I got was one of the poorest screenplays I've ever had the benefit of seeing acted out. To their credit, the actors and actresses all did a fine job of acting out the poor script (although I thought the husband was pretty weak at best).
Why I Didn't Like This Movie
First and foremost, I was expecting to be scared at some point or at least nervous. Maybe I've been desensitized by much more frightening films like "Cats and Dogs" and "The Princess Diaries" but I can honestly say I was not scared. Right up to the end of the film I was thinking "This was a mediocre movie." but then the lousy, stolen ending occurred and I just felt like I should go ask for my money back. Why they chose to make this movie within ten years of "The Sixth Sense" (which I loved), I do not know. The movie tries very hard to be suspenseful like its much better precursor but it tends to fall flat on its face.
The Acting
Nicole Kidman
Her acting, in my opinion, is quite good, she conveys emotion well and, despite the makeup and costume departments, manages to look good doing it. The scenes with her and her husband show how great her acting is but also reveal how poorly the husband character was cast.
The kids
I thought the kids were really good in this film (another similarity to "The Sixth Sense"). The little girl probably does the best of any of the actors in the film with her tormenting of both her brother and mother. The little boy is also excellent (reminding me of how scared I was when my brother used to torment me).
The "help"
These three weren't bad although the gardener seemed really flat. The mute was actually rather compelling I thought and the old lady was the scariest part of the movie with her vagueness.
Conclusion
Maybe if this had been released after the world had had a chance to forget about Hayley Joel Osment and "The Sixth Sense" it would've been better but as it stands it is merely an expensive attempt to copy a much better film. If I were reading this right now I would want to see the movie even more than ever in order to understand what was so bad about it. If that sounds like you I highly recommend waiting for the dollar movie (it's not even worth renting) but be sure to get a big soft drink with a high caffeine content because this film is a sleeper in the worst way.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID: dtonkin
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Member: Derek Tonkin
Location: TX, USA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me: I drink a lot of Dr. Pepper because it's good for life.
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