Surprise hit in the World Cinema vein this, and a lot of positive vibes coming from the majority people who had already seen the movie, a Spanish release produced by Guillermo Del Toro, directed by Juan Antonio Bayona and starring Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo and Geraldine Chaplin.
The movie started well, reminding me of many of the old-fashioned films of the horror genre, having a superb setting and a good measure of atmosphere. The idea of the mother Laura wanting to do something for disadvantaged children was very plausible, though I was never sure of the father Carlos’s stance, he seemed a little reticent but happy as long she was and they were all ‘together’.
The visit from the old lady started the chain of creepy events that reveal more and more about Simon (the adopted son) and his background, whilst Simon himself begins to redirect his attention from his childhood invisible friends to a new set of friends that have a more disturbing side. The psychological play by the parents towards external parties was extremely well done, down to the attitudes of the parents towards mediums and the police investigation, and how they might be viewed.
It would not be prudent to describe the shocks along the way, because they are a big part of the films strength. Although there did seem to be some inconsistencies in the story, it was very well directed and beautifully shot, with a very strong lead performance from Belen Rueda, that really pulls the film through some contrived moments when bangs and loud music seemed to be trying to force the viewers perception in a rather primitive way.
I considered it a straightforward psychological movie with a twist, rather than a supernatural one, but many others considered it the latter – I guess that depends on how you view the evidence. The main body of the film is very solid, but the ending was so clichéd that it rather spoiled a nice little release. The pull at the heartstrings was also a little artificial for me, and the almost constant sorrow from Laura was a little overplayed whilst the interaction between Laura and Carlos seeming a little forced at times.
8.0/10, A very good little movie but reminded me a lot of ‘The Others’, and more World Cinema releases that I have viewed . Any horror type movie with children as the central theme creates a sense of unease or dread with the public because of the subject matter and evokes a natural protective response, and this release did that very well. I did think the music and sound was overdone, but overall was well structured and balanced. For a first directional debut, Juan Antonio Bayona has proven his worth and I will watch for his future releases with interest.