Title – The Innocents (2021)
Director – Eskil Vogt (Blind)
Cast – Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Sam Ashraf, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim
Plot – During a Summer in Norway a group of children have experiences with a set powers that leads them down a dangerous path that will turn from innocent experiments to dangerous life altering acts.
“Are you new here?”
Review by Eddie on 15/08/2022
Exactly the type of product you wouldn’t expect to come from the Hollywood system, supernatural Norwegian horror The Innocents is an unnerving and original blend of genre film-making as The Worst Person in the World screenwriter Eskil Vogt takes the helm behind the camera to give a whole new meaning too what we consider to be “playtime”.
Set over a hot and humid Nordic summer where young girl Ida befriends a new group of companions that entails the plotting Ben and softly spoken Aisha, with the ragtag collection of misfits dabbling in some powerful supernatural powers they’ve become aware of, powers that have potentially deadly ramifications, Vogt’s film never shy’s away from his films confronting plot that showcases children can be just as nefarious as adults under the right conditions.
Brilliantly played out by its core cast that includes Rakel Lenora Fløttum as Ida, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad as her autistic sister Anna, Sam Ashraf as the troubled Ben and Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim as the kind spirited Aisha, The Innocents is a complete package of a film that might not be for everyone but showcases once more that Europe is home to some of the most talented and boundary pushing cinema talents operating in the world right now and that if you want something slightly left of centre and unpredictable, European produce is the way too go.
In its quest to give its audience an experience that doesn’t feel entirely predictable and sign-posted from a long way from the endgame, The Innocents may go to some places audiences aren’t willing to stomach but for many Vogt has taken things right too where they needed to go to turn his film into a visually memorable experience that manages to shock and entertain in equal measure.
Culminating into a final act that is likely to have viewers on the edge of their seats, Vogt’s venture may be a little slow in parts and has numerous components that need a suspension of disbelief to be fully enjoyed but overall provides a feature film experience that is haunting and gripping in equal measure.
Final Say –
Proving kids aren’t always as carefree and blameless as they may at first appear to be, The Innocents is an unpredictable and unique Norwegian offering that is sure to get the skin crawling.
4 highway overpasses out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
I’m ready to see this one. I’ve read a lot of good reviews and your 4 out of 5 seems to back up what others have been saying. Thanks for the review and reminding me about this one.
A very unique and well put together film mate. It’s slow, but payoff is there.
E
After watching this, I have mixed emotions about it. On the positive side —-the acting was very well done especially by the four young principals, and the rising action of the story kept me interested. That said, the story itself, however, seemed to me to be a rehashedcombination of “Carrie” visits “The Village Of The Damned” where she meets the Billy Mumy character from an old “Twilight Zone” episode I watched decades ago.
SPOILER ALERT!
Re: The Ending. I don’t expect every single plot point to be resolved in every single movie, and yeah, sometimes a little ambiguity works at the end of a story. (“Diabolique” & “In Bruges”) to name two. Other times, the ambiguity comes off as lazy because the auteur really didn’t know how to end the story (“Cache’” & “Burn After Reading” to name two. I have mixed emotions about the ending of “The White Ribbon”)
On a lesser point, who was the guy who angrily got locked out while he was following the family to the apartment ?
At the end of it all, I simply have to ask: what the hell was the point of all that I just watched?
Some valid points there Ted. I loved the mood of the film and its ability to take things in dark directions that aren’t always expected in this type of films and as you say the kids were great!
Not perfect but I had a lot of fun with this one and dread the Hollywood remake.
E
Thanks for your response and yes I will avoid any remakes as well
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