The Innocents, released for VOD and limited in theaters on May 13th, 2022, was one of only a few horror movies this year to break serious ground into great review territory. This Norwegian film currently holds a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics considered it 'chilling' and 'powerful.' Here's everything you need to know about The Innocents.
De Uskyldige, or The Innocents, follows young children whose supernatural abilities suddenly plunge their otherwise innocent lives into darkness. Writer/director Eskil Vogt (known for his collaborations with Joachim Trier, as with The Worst Person In The World) digs into the disturbing nature of childhood, assisted by four great young unknown actors.
The Innocents is not your usual superpowered kid movie; it is a suspenseful and creepy horror film with a slow-build atmosphere and a gut-punch ending. While by no means perfect, this film is thoughtful in its character-based approach - you never feel like the premise is just used to create action or excitement at the expense of characterization. If you can let the intensity slowly mount until the finale, you will not be disappointed. Those who need action to constantly be occurring might find their attention waning, but sticking to the end proves to stick with everyone who sees the full film. For cinephiles, this is easily one of the best horror films of the year.
Rating: 8/10
★★★★★★★★☆☆
You can find The Innocents only on video on-demand, using whichever is your favorite site to buy or rent movies on. The average rental price is $7 and the average digital purchase price is $13. Happy watching!