Title: The Innocents
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Drama
Director: Eskil Vogt
Cast: Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Sam Ashraf, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Morten Svartveit, Kadra Yusuf, Lisa Tønne, Nor Erik Vaagland Torgersen, Irina Eidsvold Tøien, Marius Kolbenstvedt, Kim Atle Hansen, Birgit Nordby
Release: 2021-09-03
Runtime: 117
Plot: Four children become friends during the summer holidays, and out of sight of the adults they discover they have hidden powers. While exploring their newfound abilities in the nearby forests and playgrounds, their innocent play takes a dark turn and strange things begin to happen.Not to be confused with Jack Clayton's classic 1961 adaptation of Henry James' Turn Of The Screw, this is a creepy if somewhat confounding horror tale by WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD co-screenwriter Eskil Vogt.
Four young children in Finland learn that they have special powers when they are together - telekinesis and telepathy chief among them. Vogt carefully sets up the situation, which, at first, seems like a positive for the kids as they unlock secret abilities even they were unaware of.
THE INNOCENTS is a sort of VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED crossed with Stephen King's Carrie, and it certainly has its effective passages. It's when things get dark that the problems arise. While there is no doubt to the horror inherent of such power in the hands of youngsters, it becomes unpleasant above all else. Unquestionably, there are bad seeds and 'innocent' harm that can be done, but Vogt never seems to draw it all together to convey any sort of point to the enterprise beyond the basic concept of young people having their own common language and communication. Even as a pure horror film the pacing is quite slow and the shock value diluted by how obtuse the telling is.
While Vogt shows some skill as a Director (it's his second feature) - especially, in the way he handles the young actors. Vogt the screenwriter lets himself downas a director here. The writing could certainly have used some of the wit and intelligence of his multiple fine collaborations with WORST Director Joachim Trier. And, a sharper focus, but there are some definite moments.
Note: The film does contain animal cruelty
Four young children in Finland learn that they have special powers when they are together - telekinesis and telepathy chief among them. Vogt carefully sets up the situation, which, at first, seems like a positive for the kids as they unlock secret abilities even they were unaware of.
THE INNOCENTS is a sort of VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED crossed with Stephen King's Carrie, and it certainly has its effective passages. It's when things get dark that the problems arise. While there is no doubt to the horror inherent of such power in the hands of youngsters, it becomes unpleasant above all else. Unquestionably, there are bad seeds and 'innocent' harm that can be done, but Vogt never seems to draw it all together to convey any sort of point to the enterprise beyond the basic concept of young people having their own common language and communication. Even as a pure horror film the pacing is quite slow and the shock value diluted by how obtuse the telling is.
While Vogt shows some skill as a Director (it's his second feature) - especially, in the way he handles the young actors. Vogt the screenwriter lets himself downas a director here. The writing could certainly have used some of the wit and intelligence of his multiple fine collaborations with WORST Director Joachim Trier. And, a sharper focus, but there are some definite moments.
Note: The film does contain animal cruelty
