You know that feeling when you're watching a movie and you realize, maybe halfway through, that you've been holding your breath for five minutes? That’s basically the experience of watching Nicole Kidman in The Others.
It’s been over two decades since this movie dropped in 2001. Honestly, it’s kinda wild how well it holds up. While other horror flicks from that era rely on clunky CGI or those "gotcha" jump scares that feel cheap now, Alejandro Amenábar’s gothic chiller is just... different. It’s quiet. It’s patient. And it features what might be Nicole Kidman’s most underrated, high-wire performance ever.
The Stress of Being Grace Stewart
Imagine being stuck in a massive, foggy mansion on the Isle of Jersey right after World War II. Your husband is missing. Your two kids, Anne and Nicholas, have this rare condition called Xeroderma Pigmentosum, which basically means sunlight could literally kill them.
You’re obsessed. You’re locking every door before opening the next. You’re living in a world of heavy curtains and candlelight.
Nicole Kidman plays Grace with this brittle, "don't-you-dare-crack" energy. She’s not just a "scream queen." She’s a mother on the absolute edge of a nervous breakdown, trying to keep her family together with rules and religion while the house starts talking back to her.
Kidman actually admitted recently—as late as 2025—that Grace is the one character she’d love to revisit. She feels the movie gets "overlooked" sometimes. Is she right? Probably. People talk about The Sixth Sense constantly, but The Others is often the one that true horror nerds whisper about when they want something actually haunting.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Movie
A lot of folks lump this in with the "twist" movies of the early 2000s. You know the ones. You watch it once, get the big reveal, and then never need to see it again.
That’s a mistake here.
The "twist" in The Others isn't just a gimmick. It’s a total shift in perspective that makes you want to go back and watch Grace’s "craziness" in a whole new light. When she’s screaming at the servants—played brilliantly by Fionnula Flanagan, Eric Sykes, and Elaine Cassidy—she isn't just being a difficult boss. She’s terrified of losing the only reality she has left.
Facts You Probably Missed:
- The Budget was Tiny: It only cost about $17 million to make. It ended up grossing over $210 million worldwide. That’s a massive win for a "modest" ghost story.
- The Spanish Connection: Even though it’s set in the UK and shot in English, it’s technically a Spanish production. It made history as the first English-language film to win Best Film at the Goya Awards (Spain’s version of the Oscars).
- Nicole Almost Quit: Kidman was reportedly so spooked by the script and the "dark" energy of the rehearsals that she tried to back out. She was having literal nightmares. Thankfully, she stayed.
- Tom Cruise Produced It: Yep, her then-husband was an executive producer. They actually split up right around the time the movie was hitting theaters. Talk about awkward press tours.
Why the Atmosphere Works So Well
Amenábar didn't just direct this; he wrote the script and even composed the score. Talk about a control freak, right? But it paid off.
The movie uses "German Expressionism" vibes—lots of long shadows and weird angles. Because the characters are trapped in the dark due to the kids' light allergy, the cinematography (shoutout to Javier Aguirresarobe) has to find ways to make darkness look beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
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There's this one scene where Grace is lost in the fog outside. No monsters. No ghosts visible. Just her and the white wall of mist. It’s one of the tensest moments in cinema history because you can feel her isolation.
The Reality of Post-Mortem Photography
One of the creepiest parts of the movie involves a "Book of the Dead."
If you thought those photos of dead people looking like they were sleeping were just a creepy invention for the movie, I’ve got bad news for you. Post-mortem photography was a very real Victorian-era tradition. Since photos were expensive and rare back then, often the only time a family could afford a portrait was after someone had passed away.
The movie uses this historical fact to ground the supernatural stuff in something that feels uncomfortably real. It’t not just a ghost story; it’s a story about grief and the desperate ways we try to hold onto people who are gone.
The Lasting Legacy of Nicole Kidman’s Performance
Critics at the time, like Roger Ebert, were a bit mixed on the pacing, but they almost all agreed on one thing: Kidman is a powerhouse.
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She doesn't play Grace as a likable person. Grace is strict, she’s occasionally mean to her kids, and she’s deeply repressed. But Kidman makes you feel for her anyway. You see the cracks in the porcelain.
By the time we get to that séance scene at the end—which was inspired by a real experience the director had as a child in Chile—your heart is breaking for her.
It's a masterclass in "less is more."
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch
If you’re planning to dive back into this classic, or maybe see it for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of it:
- Watch the breathing. Pay close attention to how the children, Anne and Nicholas, breathe during stressful moments. There are clues hidden in the sound design from the very first scene.
- Look at the doors. The rule is that no door should be opened without the previous one being locked. Notice how often this rule is broken as the "intruders" start to take over.
- Check the lighting. Notice how the "light" changes meaning throughout the film. In the beginning, light is the enemy. By the end, it’s something else entirely.
- Ignore the "Twist" Hype. Even if you know the ending, watch it for the performances. The interplay between Kidman and Fionnula Flanagan (Mrs. Mills) is a subtle chess match that is even better the second time around.
The film is currently available on various 4K and Blu-ray restorations (the Criterion Collection version is particularly gorgeous if you're a nerd for film grain). It’s a movie that demands to be watched in a dark room with your phone turned off.
Just make sure you lock the doors first.
Next Steps for Fans of The Others:
- Explore the "Gothic Horror" Genre: If you loved the atmosphere, check out The Innocents (1961) or The Haunting (1963). These were the primary inspirations for Amenábar.
- Look into Xeroderma Pigmentosum: Learning about the real-life medical condition makes the stakes for the children feel much more grounded and tragic.
- Compare with "Abre los Ojos": Watch Amenábar’s earlier Spanish work (which was remade as Vanilla Sky) to see how he plays with reality and perception across his career.