Them (2005, Review)
aka Ils
Writer/Directors: David Moreau, Xavier Palud
Cast: Olivia Bonamy, Michaël Cohen
Dark Sky Films / NTSC R1 / Color / Rated R / Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) / 5.1 & 2.0 Surround / French & Romanian with English Subtitles / 77 mins. / PURCHASE
Clementine and Lucas are a happy couple hanging out in their rural home just enjoying each other’s company. With Lucas fast asleep, Clem decides to stay up a little later but when she finally climbs into bed, she hears something outside. She wakes Lucas up to investigate and they catch someone stealing her car. The thieves get away but that is only the beginning of the couple’s night of terror.
After a short opening sequence of a mother and daughter getting killed by “Them”, the story picks up with Clem and Lucas. It begins to build suspense and tension little by little by introducing them and showing their loving relationship but you know there is something waiting for them. At about the 45 minute point in the movie I began to wonder when something was going to happen. When does the real scary shit start?
From there the next 30 minutes or so were the couple running from things that go thump, bump and click in the night. I wanted some sort of big payoff after investing in these people. I wanted to be shocked and/or horrified at the end. I wanted satisfaction dammit! But like Mick Jagger said, “I can’t get no…”. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Granted, I’m not one for subtlety, but come on, give me something worth my time. This movie could have been shown on WE for fuck’s sake.
I’m probably going to get hate mail for bagging on this movie but dammit, I will not be silenced! Just because TVguide.com, NY Post, Chicago Tribune, NY Times, LA Times, Ain’t It Cool and Bloody Disgusting think it’s a masterpiece doesn’t mean I, Greg B., have to! I am righteously indignant about this, bitches! Go ahead, send me the hate at contact@cinesploitation.com. I can take it.
Needless to say, I didn’t care for the movie. I will say this; it was well directed, perfectly acted and the cinematography was fantastic. As I have said in previous reviews, the French know how to make a film. This time I was just a little… bored. I will go out on a limb and say if you like suspense for suspense sake, pick this one up. You may get something out of it that I didn’t. You may even enjoy it like all of those other “critics” did. Puh… “critics”…
I had read so much about this and Frontiers, by the time I got around to watching them, I liked them, but did not think they were greatest horror films of all time.
Them is interesting and I think there are some real scares in there, but I did not think it was as awesome as everyone made it to be.
Great review!!!
Thank you! I completely agree. Everything about the movie is well done, but as a whole it is completely unengaging. Mainstream critics are so desperate for non-gory horror that they overpraise mediocre movies like this one. After this and the disappointing Frontieres, I’m about to give up on this whole new wave of horreur francaise. Inside is awesome, though.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Frontier(s)”. I reviewed it a few days ago. It reminded me so much of my favorite movie of all time, TCM ’74, only it had a demented, graphic French twist to it. Much better than “Them”.
I just wanted to say there’s not any hate coming from me. To be honest
I did enjoy Them. I thought it was tense and suspenseful in many parts but not worthy of all the hype it recieved. Especially with it standing next to much better movies like inside, haute tension and froniter(s).
I wanted to thank you real quick for being honest with your reviews.
Its refreshing, and one of the reasons I always read your reviews.
Thank you.
I generally agree with you on all of your reviews, so I don’t usually comment, because it would just be repetitive of what you’ve just written, but since you think that you’re going to generate hate mail because of this – You’re Wrong. I agree with you totally on this film. When I heard about it, it was supposed to be ‘extreme’ and after I saw it, I was wondering what I missed. Perhaps I fell asleep for a bit. Nope, nada, like you said. Overall, when I saw the children, I immediately thought ‘HA, they’re going to do some weird sexual thing to their teacher because they all have little boners for her, that will be pretty sick’, but nothing came of it. Beautifully shot, but again, lacking it’s sting.
Wow, I wasn’t expecting all of the positive feedback. I guess the critics don’t always speak for the masses. Here, here!
I’ve been reading your reviews over the past few months and would agree that Them was a disappointment, esp. coming from Dark Sky which usually has great releases (Antibodies, Killing Kind, Who Can Kill a Child?). I like your style of reviewing.
http://www.sideshowreview.com
I appreciate that, k-fleet.
I REALLY THOUGHT THEM WAS GREAT FOR THE FACT IT WENT BACK TO THE CLASSIC DAYS OF HORROR MOVIE MAKING, WITH SOUNDS AND WHEN IS IT GOING TO HAPPEN TYPE OF FEEL….
Right on!
Here’s my thing. And it’s hard to explain my view point with out dipping into spoiler territory, so if you haven’t seen this flick and you want to, stop reading now…..
…..
…..
OK? OK. If a 12 year old come after me like that, I’m beating his ass to the ground. I could have a broken leg, and still, I would beat his ass down with my lifeless dead limb. Actually, all of my limbs are lifeless but that’s beside the point. 12 year olds, even in a pack, are not scary. There, I said it.
Now 4 years olds, fuck that!