Other

Director - David Moreau (Them, The Eye)

Starring - Olga Kurylenko (Vampire Academy, Thunderbolts*), Jean Schatz (MadS, Mash Up), and Lola Bonaventure 

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "You are beautiful"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed a lot of horror movies over the years and I'm always impressed by the things sent to me for review.  I look at every movie I review as an experience and even if I don't like the movie, I still enjoy watching them.  I love cinema and think about the hardships that many face when making a film.  I'm also notorious for judging a book but it's cover so to speak.  Sometime back I was sent a link to review the Shudder original film Other from director David Moreau.  I was looking at the artwork sent over for the Shudder release and had zero interest in the film.  I just assumed I wouldn't like it and tossed it to the bottom of my review list.  I then felt myself getting anxious the closer I got to reviewing it because I absolutely hate writing a negative review for a movie sent to me but I also refuse to lie.  Regardless, when it was time to check it out, I hit play and the rest is history.  I want to thank Shudder for sending this one over!

     The film follows Alice (Kurylenko) who receives word that her estranged mother had passed.  She reluctantly revisits her childhood home and past traumas begin haunting her memories.  As she tries to piece together the life of the woman that tormented her so much growing up, she starts to suspect that something is living within the walls of the home.  As she digs deeper and deeper into her childhood she soon remembers something dark that happened to her and what is actually stalking her family.

     Other is a film that the title nor the artwork did nothing for me but the movie itself was a lot of fun.  It's not going to be making anyone's best of list at the end of the year but it was still a solid horror title for what it was.  The acting in this one is pretty well done but the film is a bit one sided.  The supporting cast is pretty good with most of the characters being fairly generic or disposable.  With that being said, Olga Kurylenko really impressed me with her performance.  She isn't overdramatic or over does it which makes the scenes a lot more enjoyable.  It would have been easy for her to ham it up with the type of story we have but she keeps her performance fairly well grounded.  The story for this one is a bit predictable if you pay close attention during the earlier scenes in the film.  With that being said, I liked the story even though it was obvious where the twist was going before it appeared.  It had great pacing and the build up was still a fun ride.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments with some solid make-up effects but that is about the extent of it.  I was hoping we would get a lot of gore and memorable deaths but that was not the case.  The gags we get do look good but they are not as elaborate or memorable as I had hoped.  Overall, Other is a solid horror outing that fits the Shudder trademark.  I would have liked to see some memorable deaths but the film is still enjoyable the way it is.  Check it out.