Norwegian horror ‘The Innocents’ is deeply unsettling

The Innocents is a Norwegian supernatural thriller which follows four young children as they develop & explore their new found telepathic/telekinetic abilities.

Akin to classic horror tales such as Children Of The Corn this film uses the innocence of childhood & the development of a moral compass to ratchet up the tension. The Innocents moves along at an ambling pace, with no real surge of adrenaline or urgency until the final half hour or so. However, by telling the story in this way the film allows the viewer to connect with the characters & learn as they do – although that sluggish pace may be a turn off for some viewers.

Those viewers who persevere with The Innocents will be handsomely rewarded with one of the most unsettling films of the year to date. In particular witnessing the dark side of sub 10 year old child is deeply disturbing.

This film toys with expectations & is all the more unnerving because of it. The Innocents is unafraid to explore disturbing areas of the story telling & the acting performances by the tiny tots is so believable. If you enjoy slow burn movies which spark deep, internal contemplation about life & society this film is for you.

★★★★