THE CHILDREN
UK, 2008, 84 minutes, Colour.
Eva Birthistle, Stephen Campbell Moore, Rachel Shelley, Hannah Tointon, Jeremy Sheffield.
Directed by Tom Shankland.
There have been a number of films where children have been malevolent – think of the film versions of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw (like The Innocents) and of John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos (Village of the Damned, Children of the Damned). This is one of those films though not nearly in the same league. Taking a cue from the general plot of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers where a strange presence (this time chemical, it seems) takes over the personalities of the snatched, the children turn on the adults.
Formerly called The Day, The Children is about a wintry day at Christmastime where Elaine and Jonah (Eva Birthistle and Stephen Campbell Moore) take their two children plus unhappy teenager, Casey (Hannah Tointon) from Elaine's previous marriage, to spend a carefree holiday with Chloe (Elaine's sister) and Robbie and their two children. The four children are very young.
After what seems like interminable jollity, the audience is ready for some more serious goings on and (unworthy thought) that Robbie, who seems too cheery to be true, be the first to go. He is.
What follows is a lot of daylight mayhem and some puzzle as to what is driving the children to such malice.
Actually, one does not wonder all that much because the acting is not particularly persuasive, especially that of the children, so one observes the terror rather than identifying with it, despite the efforts of Eva Birthistle to give the proceedings more oomph.
The idea behind the film is effective. It is just that the children themselves are not.
1.A different horror movie? Atmosphere? Mysterious virus? Killings?
2.The Christmas setting, the families, Elaine and her husband, their arriving with their children? Greeted by Robbie and Chloe? Their children? The house, the grounds, the atmosphere? The exuberance? The surrounding woods? The snow, the ice, the trees? The sinister surroundings? The musical score?
3.The title, the focus on the children? (The previous title, The Day?)
4.Elaine, Jonah, their relationship, Casey and her relationship with her mother, her wanting to go to the party, her adolescent attitude? Jonah and his love for Paulie and Miranda? His doting on Miranda? Elaine and her concern about Paulie? Characters? Relationships? Preparation for the horror experience to come?
5.Casey, her background, Jonah being her stepfather? Her resentments, her not wanting to be called Mouse? Her going for the celebration, looking after the children? The screenplay suggesting there was something sinister about her? In fact, her care for her mother? Disdain for Jonah? Looking after the children, Robbie and his flirtation, the tattoo? The phone calls, her absence during Robbie’s death? Her growing concern, with her mother in the house, locked in? The escape? Her finally being taken over – the close-up in the car at the end?
6.Elaine, concerned for Paulie? Miranda and her disdain? Paulie and his hitting Jonah? Jonah and his teaching his daughter Chinese? His pretensions? The day, discussions, the meal? His concern, suspicions of Casey? Wanting to save Miranda? Going off in the car – and the audience then seeing the crash? His death? Elaine, strong, her concern, the discussions with Chloe? The attack by the children, Casey rescuing her? The final confrontation and Casey saving her mother’s life?
7.Robbie and Chloe, their children, their ideas about home education? Cheerful? The criticisms of Elaine? The day, Jeremy and Casey, the tattoo? Jeremy with the children, the sled and his death? Chloe, the confrontation with the children, searching in the woods? Her eye?
8.The children, Paulie and his being sick? Nicky and Leah, Leah seeming sinister? Her parents doting on her? Miranda, her seeming to be able to control events, deaths? At the table, in their rooms, playing?
9.How well did the film give an explanation? Something wrong with the blood? The cells in close-up? The genes, murderous?
10.How effective a horror film? Audiences identifying with the parents and this deadly experience of children?
