Twenty years on, and The Others still rates as one of the best, most memorable horrors of the last two decades. It doesn't have the cheap gore or lazy scares that so many do, this has the element of menace, the scares are more measured, and suitably placed.

It's very different to almost every other horror I can think of, it's like a story from a much earlier era, but given up to date production values and acting. It benefits of course from such a wonderful cast, Kidman is awesome, and does a terrific English accent.

The ending came as a massive surprise, and was perhaps the most chilling element of the film. It is loaded with atmosphere, it's thoroughly engrossing, I would hugely recommend this film, 10/10.

The Stewart household is a strange one. An isolated house in the Isle of Jersey, it's constantly enveloped in thick, blue fog, all doors must remain closed, and drapes block the sunlight because the children suffer from an illness in which they are extremely sensitive to it. Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman, finally coming to her own in a story worthy of her talents),wakes up one morning screaming from what may have been a nightmare. Three strangers arrive to the house and they tell Grace they are replying for her request for domestic help -- and almost immediately, though subtly, strange events begin happening and it slowly becomes clear that there are other unseen, unwanted people occupying their quarters. This only becomes more evident when Grace discovers, to her horror, that these servants are more than what they seem to and that her own reality is not what she believes it to be.

Alejandro Amenabar had already caught the attention of Tom Cruise who produced and starred in his own remake of OPEN YOUR EYES, which gave Cameron Diaz a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and here he establishes himself for the American movie going public with his follow-up. Again going for clever storytelling -- even if it takes a while to take off -- and relying on atmosphere rather than on expensively produced special effects, it's a showcase for Nicole Kidman who carries the entire film on her shoulders and who conveys furious determination to protect her household and absolute terror at the unknown forces against her with intense verve. Fionulla Flannagan and Christopher Eccleston provide some interesting foils to her dominant presence, but the real star is the film itself, who never goes for a quick cheat to fabricate its denouement (diametrically opposed to what M. Night Shyamalan's style where the twist is everything). Already a contemporary classic, it will go down in cinema history as an updated take on THE HAUNTING, with more finely tuned performances, even darker atmosphere, and a rising sense of dread.

In 1945, in Jersey, Channel Islands, the widow Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman) lives in a lonely old house with her daughter Anne (Alakina Mann) and her son Nicholas (James Bentley). Grace lost her beloved husband Charles (Christopher Eccleston) in the World War II and their children are photosensitive and Grace keeps the curtains and the doors closed to protect Anne and Nicholas against the sunlight. Grace raises her children with strict discipline and following religious principles.

Grace hires the strange housekeeper Mrs. Bertha Mills (Fionnula Flanagan),the mute maid Lydia (Elaine Cassidy) and the gardener Mr. Edmund Tuttle (Eric Sykes) that have asked for a job. Out of the blue, mysterious things happen in the mansion and Anne claims that there is a boy named Viktor that visits them. Grace unsuccessfully seeks out the intruders until the day she has a revelation about the house and its intruders.

"The Others" is one of the best and the most original ghost stories of haunted house ever made (the best is actually "Haunted"). Nobody can guess the final plot point that has one of the best twists of the cinema history. I saw "The Others" for the first time on 28 June 2002 and today, almost ten years later, I have enjoyed almost the same way I did in 2002.

This is the third film made by the excellent Alejandro Amenábar, who is the director, writer and composer. The plot is very well disclosed and the entire cast has magnificent performances. Nicole Kidman is very beautiful before her plastic surgery of the nose and has a top-notch performance. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Os Outros" ("The Others")