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Bookmark this pageThe Children (2008)
Director: Tom Shankland
Movie review
From Time Out London
Just in time for Christmas, a seasonal horror from ‘W ∆ Z’ director Tom Shankland that jabs an icicle in your eye. Two families get together in an isolated cottage to share a little Yuletide cheer. Then one by one, the children fall ill and turn on the adults with a blank-faced spite that shocks even their loving parents. An accident with a sledge is a harbinger of worse to come. Innocent children’s playthings – bright yellow play tents, climbing frames and pencils – are imbued with a scary malevolence. Stranded in limbo is moody teenager Casey (a compelling performance by ‘Hollyoaks’ actor Hannah Tointon) whose adult intelligence is shot through with an infantile ruthlessness.This taboo-shattering movie taps in to primal fears about the unknow-ability of children, its blood-stained virgin snow and insidious terror recalling cruel fairy tales and ‘demon child’ movies such as ‘The Omen’. Shankland’s approach is oblique rather than graphic, but these icy chills will send shivers down your spine.
Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London Issue 1998, Dec 4 - 10, 2008
User reviews of this film
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- Liam Cochran said...
- Posted on Aug 15 2009 12:48 I thought this was great. I like how u find out that the kids are evil b/c of a virus not b/c they're evil! Great acting, storyline and scared the crap out of me!! PLus the ending rockedd!
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- Jimmer said...
- Posted on Jun 22 2009 23:55 Oh and just to add, were the shots of the woodland supposed to be scary? chilling? oooooooh it really worked!!!
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- Jimmer said...
- Posted on Jun 22 2009 23:52 One of the worst film I have ever seen. The only reason I saw it through, was to try and make sense of it all............didn't happen. Poor poor storyline and was cringeworthy at best. It would take alot more than a slip backwards to break your tibia or fibula! Why did he abandon his wife and eldest daughter yet alone hit her?! The whole film goes against common sense which is frustrating to watch!
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- kelly said...
- Posted on May 30 2009 03:35 I didnt get it? At all. Why the hell did the kids turn evil? A virus? Possesed? Wtf? Where the hell did all those kids at the end come from? This film has NO explanation AT ALL.
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- zoe said...
- Posted on Apr 08 2009 08:51 I enjoy a good horror and this wasn't one no story behind it. y did the kids turn????? and the ending are they leaving it open for a second one?? i hope not
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- NATH D said...
- Posted on Dec 19 2008 18:00 Good film for the bloodthirsty fans, poor for those who want a blockbuster movie. The film is enjoyable and starts resonably well keeping you involved but as the movie goes on the storyline becomes quite puzzling and the end is ... well quite a shambles as nobody in the film or cinema has a clue what is happening, Quite a good film though to be fair
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- critique said...
- Posted on Dec 18 2008 12:29 Icy horror, full of menace but nice to look at.
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- P and S said...
- Posted on Dec 14 2008 16:44 Started well, but descended into strange storyline and never really explained itself. Poor ending. Good film to promote contraception
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- Yaffle said...
- Posted on Dec 13 2008 08:46 Starts promisingly but descends into corny, low-budget schlock while hanging onto its pretentions. Unintentionally funny.
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- GS said...
- Posted on Dec 12 2008 11:37 This film is dire. How it got rated with 4 stars is a mystery. The whole thing is a mish mash . No quality in the acting, muddled storyline. In a word- Rubbish!
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- DJY said...
- Posted on Dec 12 2008 09:18 28 Kids Later!
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- KN8 said...
- Posted on Dec 11 2008 11:21 beautifully designed, lit shot, edited, fantastic sound design & soundtrack. makes horror look attractive. terrifying.
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- phil mk said...
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Posted on Dec 10 2008 11:50
ZOMBABIES!
Irritating rich yuppies meet their nemesis. A mystery bacterium makes an appearance. What a relief! - Report as inappropriate
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- ECHMED said...
- Posted on Dec 04 2008 17:47 GOOODDD
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Cast & crew
Director: Tom Shankland
Cast: Hannah Tointon, Jake Hathaway, Eva Birthistle
Genre(s): Horror
Rated: 15
Duration: 84 mins
UK Release: Dec 5 2008
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