Spoilers are going to need a grown up.

Kids in horror films are always a scary element. I did not expect this film to be told only from the kids’ point of view. It becomes particularly disturbing as often enough we see danger as adults that kids are blind to, making it a particularly jarring watch. This is more a thriller than a horror, but the young age of its cast makes you dread every wrong turn the film can take.

(Credit: Shudder)

The Innocents (2021) is written and directed by Eskil Vogt. It’s summer, and the family of young Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum) and her special needs sister Anna (Alva Brynsmo Ramstad) have just moved into a large department complex surrounded by green areas. Soon they will make friends with the neighborhood kids such as Ben (Sam Ashraf) and Aisha (Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim). But without any supervision, we’ll find out kids can be cruel and selfish. And then, the kids start discovering they can make certain things happen. Certain very supernatural things.

This is not a family picture. Even before the kids discover their hidden skills, one of them will torture and kill a cat. As kids do, they will have their own disagreements and won’t be above hurting each other. Choosing a cast this young implies no moral compass, so some audiences will find issue with some scenes where kids play with danger unintentionally or even intentionally. This was not an easy movie to watch.

That is not to say this is a bad movie. As a thriller, it does keep you on the edge of your seat, as any other film would have an adult running in here. Instead we fear for these children’s safety from danger and from each other. As choices are made we’ll soon find out we’re inevitably headed to a confrontation that will not end up innocently.

Strongly recommended with caution to a selected audience. This is a thriller that might not be easily watchable given the cast’s young age and the danger implied. This is not a superhero film, nor a fun flick so don’t expect a happy finale. This is not a movie I would recommend for any family, parent or child. Worth a watch for an appreciative audience.

That will do for now.