The Innocents Review

PLOT: The Innocents follows four children who become friends during the summer holidays. Out of sight of the adults, they discover they have hidden powers. But their innocent play takes a dark turn and strange things begin to happen.

REVIEW: Hailing from Norway, The Innocents is a really tough watch from the jump. While the trailer may make it seem like it’s an almost “X-Men“-like twist on horror, it’s instead a lesson in how cruel innocence can be. Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum) has moved into a new apartment complex with her autistic sister Anna where she meets other children Ben and Aisha. We’re able to see how these four vastly different kids are able to handle such huge powers.

The pacing is slow, but this is a deliberate choice to really put you in the shoes of the children. Each of the four youths gives a phenomenal performance. The film is dealing with these children 95% of the job, and the acting never suffers for a moment. They make you root for them, hate them, feel sorry for them, and everything in between. Writer/Director Eskil Vogt has such control over the audience’s emotions that it feels like an exercise in execution, which he pulls off flawlessly.

We get to see the cruelty of Ida right from the jump with her pinching her sister and even stepping on a worm. Her treatment of her sister will often make you cringe. Setting up Ida’s dislike for Anna early causes there to be a certain uneasiness to any scene that the two share. Then, when there are no adults around, the tension is palpable, never knowing quite what Ida will do next.

But then it’s completely flipped around when it’s revealed that Ida is far from the darkest influence in the film. There are more than a few moments that will leave you on the edge of your seat with anticipation for what’s to come. The Innocents is a story that you’ll feel deep in your bones. Whether that’s due to the helpless feeling it leaves you with or the anticipation for what’s next, it’s a rollercoaster of emotion.

The violence in the film never goes too far, but it’s still extremely difficult to watch. Given that the children are both perpetrating acts of violence as well as the recipients, there are many rough moments. There’s an animal death that is particularly hard to watch and left me squirming in my seat. But outside of this act, the film often takes a “less is more” approach to gore.

The only slight I really have against the film is its portrayal of autism. While Alva Brynsmo Ramstad does a fantastic job of portraying a young child with the condition, the story progressions are bit suspect. The concept of a child being “cured” of autism, if only momentarily, is definitely something that can ruffle some feathers. So its inclusion is questionable. But it mostly works because of the story that’s being told.

While the film is mostly smaller scale, the moments when the film needs to use visual effects are extremely impressive. Despite the fact that this is a movie that deals with “children with powers”, it still manages to be rather grounded. The world is realistic, which ultimately just raises the stakes and the tension. This is far from the super heroics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

After the Oscar-nominated The Worst Person In The World, Eskil Vogt became a writer to keep an eye on, but with The Innocents, he’s now a director that can’t be denied. His command over both the frame and his characters is truly impressive. What he does next is sure to shake the film world up and I, for one, can’t wait for it. While this film is certainly an uncomfortable watch, it shows the heights that Norwegian cinema can reach.

The Innocents releases in Select Theaters and Everywhere You Rent Movies on May 13th, 2022.

The Innocents

GREAT

8