Them Reviews

Now we movie on to a French Romanian horror that also apparently deals with Austrian characters. I don't know anything about this movie. All I know is it seemed like an interesting story. Also it just so happens to be based on a true story. Aren't a lot of these like that these days though? The writer/director duo here also did the American remake of The Eye. That one in my opinion was pretty bad. I hope this is much better. More people like this one better so I guess that's a good sign. It's also fairly short so there is that if it isn't. Anyways time to see what it has to offer.

The opening was interesting and seemed to just add on to the whole thing. The thrills and noises were excellent. I like how we don't really see the killers until the end. The ending was fantastic. To think how this whole thing actually happened is actually pretty disturbing and sad. The whole thing actually reminded me of Eden Lake and The Strangers.

The daughter in the beginning just seemed like a total brat and then she got annoying. I'm sure that part was just to add a little to the story. Otherwise I feel like an asshole. The main couple was great. I really felt like they had good chemistry and I actually cared about them. The killers were interesting and messed up.

I am actually surprised by this one. Of course it's a foreign film, but I wasn't actually sure if I would like it as much as I did. It's genuinely creepy with noises and scares. It doesn't even end up having jump scares in the American way. I really liked the couple and thought they were well acted. The whole thing paced nicely with a great ending. I would actually recommend checking this one out.

Wow! I normally never watch subtitled movies. I was hoping this was just a foreign movie with English speaking actors. I watched a minute too long and got sucked into it. The first thing that caught my attention was "based on a true story".
Them starts out and goes on for some time with these noises. Some I thought were scary and some just seemed repeated too much. Wait until you find out what one of the noises is at the end.
My absolute favorite part was when Clem was crawling through the tunnel huffing and puffing and then when she comes to the end, it is barred and she is frantically trying to get one of the bypassing cars to pay attention to her outstretched arms. Then the very end where the kids step out from the woods and get on the bus. Freak me out.
I really liked this movie. Sparse on speaking, heavy on the sounds and creepy settings. Twist ending - good deal.

While Them is more of a suspense/chase film than anything it would appear that on the whole the French still treat horror as a legitimate genre. Here this is evident in every aspect of the film, from the fantastically understated musical score, to the strikingly gorgeous, earth-tone heavy cinematography. From the beginning the lead actors lend the film a quiet dignity, as the couple (Lucas and Clem) moves very naturally from tenderness to playfulness and back again. They seem intimately comfortable with one another, yet at the same time enchanted as they pass their time at a large, minimally restored, but charming and elegant country house.

This all serves to set up solid ground work so that throughout the second half of the film the audience is able to plant themselves firmly inside the fear that the characters experience. Effective tricks like a bedroom scene shot in real-time (as documented by an unobtrusive digital radio-alarm clock in the corner or the frame) and a taut pace tempered with achingly slow creep-down-the-hallway scenes all work together to unite the viewer with the terror growing inside Lucas and Clementine. Allegedly based on a true story, the film ends the only way it can, I suppose. It may not satisfy gore-hounds, but, within the context of this film, the closing sequences deftly brings a chilling close to this disturbing tale.

TBH every french film I catch of late is superb (feel a list coming on!) - and this is no exception. great throughout - loved it.

After hearing good things about this film from my friend; I decided to borrow it from him and give it a watch before I bought it. Trusting his judgement and willing to go outside of the scope of the usual movies I watch (this didn't seem like I would enjoy it) I started it up and realized it's realtation to my real life. Two people alone, phone and lights cut off, isolation, and most importantly all those strange sounds coming from outside. The faact that I live in a house with woods as a backyard and me and the Mrs. were in fact all alone did add to the creepyness of the film. One thing I'd hate to actually happen to me; to actually be stalked out side my own home. When your own fortress, not a lake or a certain place you'll never go to, comes up in a scene of murder threatening and scaring the shit out of you on film, it makes you think alot more; as well as look behind you every minute or two. good job ils for bringing this shit to my doorstep!

Child: We just want to play with you... won't you play with us?