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104 comments in total

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51 out of 68 people found the following comment useful :-
Surprize, surprise, you can still make a good horror movie, 16 April 2009

Author: Peter Sebastian K

It's not easy to make a horror movie these days. The critics will hate it by definition: their expectations are always high and mostly unsatisfiable. They will call them uninspirational, uninteresting, and not original enough. With time, the horror genre has become an underdog of the movie industry. Prior to watching this movie, I had no knowledge about the plot whatsoever and it turned out to be good for me. I won't beat around the bush: I'm not a horror fanatic, but this one, I enjoyed from the beginning until the very end and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. The thing I appreciated the most was the great amount of mystery: at some point the movie becomes more a mystery movie than a horror movie. The plot is interesting at the very least: and it does make you think who the main villain might be. I personally had many guesses and I though I got it right, but the ending surprised me. And there's nothing I enjoy more than an ending I did not see coming. The surroundings are beautiful and the movie is very well shot. Visually, the pictures are very satisfying, another thing you would not expect. The acting is also professional, along the score: all these parts, I have no complaints about. The movie was, for some reasons I don't fully understand, certified as not fresh enough. I do agree, some moments are painfully cliché, but in this case, I found it charming. Isn't it a part of the horror movie to expect that a hand will try to reach you under the bed? It will make you jump in your place either way, so what's the deal? As long it's not cheesy, it's good enough for me. I think that if the creators maybe took a risk and avoided those couple of clichés, the movie would have been praised by critics. But who cares about their opinion anyway? The movie is really enjoyable and if that is what matters to you, don't hesitate and watch it. You won't regret it.

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73 out of 115 people found the following comment useful :-
Surprisingly Good, 28 January 2009

Author: stjoeswebmania from United States

A lot of people seem to be judging this movie by the trailer alone, but I was lucky enough to see an advance screening today, and I have to say that the movie was not what I expected. Sure, some of the obvious plot points in the trailer are there, but overall, the movie was really quite good. Suspenseful, scary at the right moments, with a hint of a flavor you don't see in most movies.

I'm not going to say much about it, but take my word for it that I thought it was really well done. It's not perfect, but it definitely does well for itself. Don't just judge a book by its cover, nor a movie simply by its trailer.

Yes, it may be a remake, but it's a good remake. I give it: 8/10.

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52 out of 76 people found the following comment useful :-
An excellent remake., 1 February 2009

Author: pokeballzlol from United States

While many people are just so put off by this film for many reasons, I was very surprised by how it actually turned out.

Although the original, "A Tale of Two Sisters", was an epic movie that delivered certain moods and feelings that this movie (and most other films to date) couldn't quite capture, this film was still just great.

One thing to understand was that this movie was completely westernized. Remakes such as "The Grudge" take place in Japan, but the main characters are replaced with an American or European cast, and sometimes the story just doesn't quite fit the way it should with that type of a cast. In this film, the "A Tale of Two Sisters" story is completely translated into an American setting, in the north in a small town. The characters are tweaked a little to accommodate the new setting, and so are some of the scenes and plot lines. This is where many fans of the original get upset and get their panties in a bunch.

If this film was truly remade true to the original, it would just be the original film itself being remade 5 years later with the same cast and same script. This film is honestly one of the best Asian-horror remakes that has been made in the past 3 or 4 years if not ever. The cast gives solid performances and there were little or no plot holes. There were actually less plot holes in this film than the original. Of course I liked the original more, but I'm just saying this film executed certain things that the first film didn't, just like the first film executed certain things this film didn't. They are meant to be similar but different, and that is what makes both of them worth seeing.

8.5/10

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35 out of 49 people found the following comment useful :-
Spooky and Classy Horror Flick - Fear is Welcome in "The Uninvited"., 30 January 2009

Author: youshotandywarhol from Oregon

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"The Uninvited" is about teenager Anna (Emily Browning), who spent time in a psychiatry institution after the accidental death of her sickly mother in a fire. But after ten months, she returns home to her spacious New England house that rests on edge of the coast. While happy to be back with her older sister, Alex (Arielle Kebbel), she is not so happy with her father's (David Strathairn) new girlfriend, Rachael (Elizabeth Banks), a nurse who took care of her mother up until the accident, and is now living in her house. Rachael seems to be hiding something, and the girls become convinced that she was responsible for the fire that killed their mother. As they dig deeper into Rachael's past, more suspicions arise, and Anna finds herself being contacted by the ghosts of both her mother, and three mysterious children that have a connection to Rachael...

I was somewhat skeptical going into this movie, seeing that it was a remake of the Korean "A Tale of Two Sisters", and the fact that it was a PG-13 horror movie, which is often a bad sign. But I was pleasantly surprised with "The Uninvited", because it ended up being much more than your typical teenage horror thriller. First off, the screen writing is wonderful here. The same "evil stepparent" setup has been done before, but there are a number of plot twists, turns of events, and nice little quirks that keep it from being too average. The film overall was really unpredictable in most respects, that is unless you have seen the original Korean film (which I have not, so I was very interested all along). The supernatural lacing in the story is well done too, combining ghosts and spirits with real-life danger that threatens our two leading ladies.

The cinematography is impressive, and setting is remarkable too, as the entire film unfolds in the confines of a beautiful, large New England home that sits perched on the side of the rocky ocean cliffs, a location that gives plenty of space for creepy action to unfold. It's atmospheric because of this as well, and has a comfortable - yet, more often than not, creepy- feel to it. I like the fact that the film takes its time building itself, shying away from being too shocking and posing plenty of questions in its first act, and then kicking into gear in the second and tossing the shocking truth behind all of the events right at your face. The ever-tiring jump scares are limited here, with suspense being the more the main focus, which was really welcome and a change from the norm. The pacing is delectable, and the tension is present as it grows toward the climax, which is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

Also, I'd like to mention the cast here. Emily Browning (of 2002's "Ghost Ship") plays the leading role as the curious and quiet younger sister, playing her role perfectly with the face of an angel. Arielle Kebbel is also very good as her older, party-loving (but serious) sister, who aids her in the uncovering of Rachael's past. Rachael herself, the devilish stepmother figure is played by Elizabeth Banks (whom I have seen mainly do comedy work), and manages to be threatening and elusive despite her good looks. Also notable is David Strathairn (whom I recognized from "Dolores Claiborne") as the unbelieving father. The ensemble of actors here is strong, and their chemistry with each other surprisingly really works, which I think added a lot to the film.

As far as the ending is concerned, I won't spoil things, but it's clever, really. It completely came out of left field for me, and I was dumbfounded and giddy with anxiousness within the final ten minutes. Sure, similar plot twists have come about before - but it was really unexpected- and the funny thing is, after thinking about it, there are clues that are dropped along the way. Problem is, they're so subtle that the viewer doesn't even notice, and I really liked that. I was completely caught off-guard. And the final shot is an innocently creepy seal on the envelope of a clever and entertaining horror movie.

Overall, "The Uninvited" is a very welcome change from the standard PG-13 horror pictures, and has the caliber of much more sophisticated horror movies. The classic horror atmosphere, creepy sets, and tense character interactions make this movie work, not to mention the twisted ending which is an unexpected smack in the face. "The Uninvited" is an enormously fun, well-constructed flick that retains an elegance that most horror movies nowadays (especially PG-13 thrillers) fail to achieve. (Also note: this film is in no relation to the 1940s ghost film of the same name) 9/10.

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28 out of 40 people found the following comment useful :-
Welcomed surprise in form of psychological thriller-horror, 14 April 2009

Author: John Smith from New York

To say that this movie is nothing like newer horror flicks would be a lie, it contains a fairly big part that is same as in every newer American thriller-horror. I have already seen the same or almost the same story about a dozen times before, this type of story can be also used in crime-dramas, natural-thrillers, and supernatural thriller-horrors which this movie is. So after i realized what the story is all about, which took me couple of first minutes, i thought this movie is gonna be predictable, boring and full of clichés, and it apparently wasn't. The thing that bugs me the most about 'The Uninvited' is those "scary" scenes that look exactly the same as in every Japanese style horror flick(e.g. 'The Grudge', 'The Unborn', 'One Missed Call'), seriously when are they gonna make some original scary scenes with original scary stuff and not just the same ol' same ol' "sound goes eerie and louder, signal for a pale screaming person to come out of the dark, make a scary face and disappear", i think every horror fan had just about enough of that. Despite those cliché scary scenes, story takes a very smart and interesting twist at the end, and that is something that not all new horror movies have. Acting is very well done, fairly below usual cheesiness in these kind of movies which is very much appreciated. A "MUST SEE" thriller-horror for all the hardcore new style horror viewers, and also recommended for everyone else.

8/10

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14 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
A psychological thriller worth seeing, 15 May 2009

Author: twin_bunny from Australia

"The Uninvited". Good movie. Scary? Not really. Worth seeing? Yes, definitely. But most fans of the original "A Tale of Two Sisters" will probably hate it. Before watching this I did read the plot. It may have been stupid to do so and it did spoil the movie. But let me tell you, it was still a good experience at the theaters.

The acting was...brilliant. Especially Browning. I really liked the cinematic effect. The cinematographer, Dan Landin, did an excellent job. The lighting was good. The camera angles were good. The sound was also good thanks to the Sound Department.

"The Uninvited" is very different and unique. It may have a few cliché jumps and scares, but in the end it was really worth seeing. So if you're wanting to see a meaningful movie of vengeance and reality, watch this one. You'll be happy you did.

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21 out of 29 people found the following comment useful :-
Way Better Than Expected, 31 January 2009

Author: ryanc11@yahoo.com from Lakemoor, IL

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

***** Major Spoilers Here, please revisit after you see the movie **** It is totally obvious this movie rips off the best qualities of other good/great movies i.e. 6th Sense, The Ring, The Shining, Fight Club --- But it rips it off pretty good in my opinion... I can imagine a lot of hard core IMDb'ers will poo poo this , but as far as my Friday night at the movies it was money well spent. I knew there would be a twist, and in that knowledge I was watching for it --- Im a relatively smart guy and should have spotted it, but the "twist" was pulled off pretty flawlessly and it did NOT leave me feeling cheated. In fact it was so well done and so subtle. From the beginning to the end we are given little clues, introduced to dialog and characters that when the final revelation is given I didn't feel cheated or that it was a gimmick. In a way I had more of a feeling similar to the end seen in Seven where it wasn't really a twist that you were expected to figure out, but rather just what it was , a revelation of what you were seeing and what the characters motives were. This is not an Oscar contender, but a pretty good movie that if you take it for what it is, a pretty entertaining movie that will leave you thinking about what you just saw as your driving home.

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28 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :-
Clever Psycho-Drama, 1 February 2009

Author: J_Trex from Philadelphia

This was a pretty good fright flick. It kept the viewer engaged right up to the ending and while it seemed somewhat formulaic in terms of plot development and things that go bump in the night, it had plenty of scary moments and more than served its purpose, which was a few hours of entertainment.

Most of the movie deals with the relationship of sisters Anna and Alex with Rachel, the girlfriend of their father. Anna thinks Rachel murdered their late mother and possibly was behind some earlier unsolved murders. However, Anna was recently released from a mental institution and has some emotional issues that raises more suspicions about her than about Rachel. On the other hand, Rachel has some questionable aspects about her past that don't seem quite right. This guessing game continues until the dramatic ending.

The screenplay was very good, the cinematography captured the rocky coastline of Maine nicely, and the film was helped by good performances from Elizabeth Banks as Rachel, David Strathairn as the father, and Emily Browning as Anna.

This was a good horror movie well worth checking out.

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Great Remake, 30 September 2009

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

After the death of her ill mother in a dreadful fire followed by an explosion in the boat house where she was living, the young teenager Anna (Emily Browning) tries to commit suicide cutting her wrists and is sent to a mental institution for treatment. Ten months later, Anna still has a blackout about what had happened in that night but her psychiatric Dr. Silberling (Dean Paul Gibson) discharges her telling that she has resolved her issues. Her father and successful writer Steven (David Strathairn) brings her back home in an isolated mansion nearby the coast and Anna finds that the former nurse of her mother, Rachel Summers (Elizabeth Banks), is her stepmother now. Anna meets her beloved sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel) swimming in the sea and she discovers that Steven has not delivered the letters and CDs that Alex had sent to her. Along the days, Anna is haunted by ghosts and she believes that Rachel killed her mother. Alex and she decide to look for evidences to prove that Rachel is a greedy murderer and Anna discovers the truth about the fire in the boat house.

I usually hate remakes, but "The Uninvited" is a great remake of the excellent but confused "Janghwa, Hongryeon" (a.k.a. "The Tale of the Two Sisters"). I liked to see in the Extras of the DVD the interview with the writers of the screenplay, producers and directors Charles and Thomas Guard since they have been very honest in their words recognizing the merits of the original Asian movie that was the base of their script. Further, they had the skill of using the original storyline with an intriguing supernatural and non-complicated plot and an excellent plot point that provides a satisfactory explanation for the events that triggered the whole process in Anna's mind. I do not recall seeing the sweet Emily Browning in another movie, but she proves that she is an excellent actress, participating in practically every scene and giving credibility to Anna. The efficient David Strathairn and Elizabeth Banks and the also unknown Arielle Kebbel have also great performances in this highly recommended supernatural feature. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Mistério das Duas Irmãs" ("The Mystery of the Two Sisters")

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11 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
A Nutshell Review: The Uninvited, 9 May 2009

Author: DICK STEEL from Singapore

I haven't seen the original Tale of Two Sisters by Kim Ji-woon to begin with so I won't be able to do any meaningful comparisons. But if a remake is any indication of how the original is generally miles better, especially if done by Hollywood, hen it probably is worth my while to put the Korean horror movie in my to-watch list. After all, Kim Ji-woon's film is one of Korea's top box office draws when released.

There have been more misses than hits when Hollywood adapts what it thinks could be instant box office gold with its fountain of Asian content, and since there have been only a limited number of successful Asian horror releases in recent years, it had looked inwards and cannibalized on remaking its own shock/slasher films. This one took a long while to translate to The Uninvited, and I guess taking some 6 years indicated the filmmakers wanted to do things right instead of rushing through and come out with crap.

As such the directing duo of the Guard Brothers Charles and Thomas managed to find some balance between telling a psychological thriller, and moments where they can properly employ tricks from the usual formula book to scare an audience, with the usual light and shadows, smoke and mirrors, warped beings, decomposed bodies and jump cuts with ghouls staring down at you. Surprisingly it didn't rely on sound or lack thereof to add a further sensory dimension to set pulse racing, which I thought was a little let down in its moments to build up to the next "Boo!" If anything, the acting duo of Emily Browning (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, with pouty lips to rival Angelina Jolie's, and given special attention too in this narrative) and Arielle Kebbel shine as skimpily clad sisters Anna and Alex respectively, who have to rely on each other as they uncover the truth behind the death of their mom (Maya Massar). It doesn't help of course with Anna just being certified sane and safe to be released from a mental institution, and their suspect happens to be their nanny-turned-new-step-mom-to-be Rachel (Elizabeth Banks) whom dad (David Strathairn) intends to marry. Given the short run time of under 90 minutes, the pace is kept compact with little room wasted to pump in unnecessary subplots (unless set up just to provide an additional avenue to unleash horrific mayhem), focusing very much of the relationship between the two sisters, and their strained one with their father. Emily Browning, as the lead, of course had enough latitude to showcase a double-head snake role in being "nice" to Rachel, in order for some fishing of information.

That isn't to say there isn't any loophole that a jumbo jet can't fly through. Even if you have no background knowledge gained from the original Korean film, it is easy enough for sharp-eyed viewers, or those whose cinematic staple is horror films, to stay one step ahead and deduce just what is exactly going on. Which makes me wonder just how much it'll take for shockmeisters to scare seasoned audiences since they're getting savvier, and easily bored with the same old bag of tricks.

If anything, The Uninvited would have piqued your interest in the original, which has a longer run time and in all likelihood, the exploitation of mood and atmosphere that are quite standard tools for horror films from Asia, which is sorely lacking in this version. Nonetheless it's still one of the better Western remakes of Asian horror attempted.

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