The Innocents - Film Review

The Innocents - Film Review

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Posted 2022-05-13 by Jenfollow

Directed by Eskil Vogt, The Innocents stars Rakel Lenor Fløttum as Ida, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad as Anna her sister, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim as Aisha, Sam Ashraf as Ben, Ellen Dorrit Pedersen and Morten Svartveit as Ida and Anna's parents Henriette and Nils, Kadra Yusuf as Aisha's mother Hani and Lisa Tønne as Ben's mother.

With a running time of 117 mins, this Norwegian horror/drama will screen nationally in cinemas on 19 May 2022. The Innocents follows four children during the bright Nordic summer holidays. It comes to their realisation that they have hidden powers, which they keep well cloaked away from adult eyes. While exploring their newfound abilities in the nearby forests and playgrounds, their innocent play takes a dark turn.


Ida and her family have moved to a housing estate next to a forest for the summer. Her sister Anna is autistic and unresponsive and is not much company for Ida. Instead, Ida is sometimes made responsible by having to watch over her sister in play; like it's not enough that she takes up most of her parent's attention. One day, across the pond, Ida befriends Ben and he is keen to show her his powers. He can make a dropped bottle cap fly sideways with his mind. This suitably impresses Ida. Anna also meets a new friend in Aisha, when she's left on her own sitting on a swing, while Ida takes off with Ben to play. Aisha is kind and seems to understand Anna.

This is not your normal Nordic summer holiday movie. There's a little something sinister in the air that takes a disturbing turn for the worst. Yet, it falls into the horror genre quite naturally via child's play. There's nothing hiding in the dark, and nothing is going to jump out at you from behind a closed door. It travels quite naturally as it delves into children's capacity for cruelty, as well as loyalty. When you see it, you will recognise the little things children do that's a bit mean. The film also reminds us of childhood and how children can be filled with a sense of wonderment and excitement, curiosity and boredom. It's also about childhood behaviour far from the eyes of adults, about grudges and revenge.


With a cast under the age of 12, the children in this film are to be commended for their superior performances. That's what stands out the most; just how accomplished and natural they are in this part supernatural fable and part familial melodrama. Their expressions are transparent and believable as they go through the emotions of their characters. Eskil Vogt also captures the magic of childhood and that secret parallel world kids live in. When we don't tell our parents everything, or the complete truth.

It pulls no punches when it comes to displaying how cruel or vengeful children can be. However, there are pacing issues. As brilliant as the kids were, and as good as the scenes involving them were strong and filled with expected tension from this genre, it was let down by long periods of in-betweens, waiting for something to happen. The pacing could be a roadblock for some, like it was for me, or you might be content to just go with the flow. One thing you won't be disappointed with, are the talented young cast.





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83497 - 2023-06-11 06:42:23

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