Movie review: The Others

Atmospheric thriller with a surprise twist at the end. Nicole Kidman plays Grace, an English mother in a huge, dark house just after World War II. The house is kept in total darkness, since her two children are photosensitive, and anything more than candlelight will cause them to burn, blister and eventually suffocate.

Three servants arrive in response to a want ad, and are carefully instructed in the children's special needs. Shortly afterward, strange sounds, opened doors and curtain and whispered voices begin to convince Grace that the house is haunted.

Kidman is excellent as the mother who's driven to the breaking point, being shut up in a creepy old house and beginning to wonder about her own sanity. The children and servants are also well-played, particularly the little boy played by James Bentley.

Watch it twice. The first time, the twist will surprise you. The second time will give you an entirely new perspective on the film.