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The Uninvited
- Review Date: January 29, 2009
- PG-13
- Genre: Horror
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
American remake of Korean horror film is violent but dull.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this moody supernatural horror movie is very gory and violent, with everything from mutilated corpses and lots of flowing blood to contorted human bodies speaking and moving. The story revolves around a widowed father whose daughters object to his relationship with the woman who nursed their dying mother; the film doesn't explore this at great length, but it provides a sexual subplot that runs through the film. The main character has been institutionalized after a breakdown; the movie also includes teen drinking, strong language (including "f--k" and "s--t") and references to sex.
What's the story?
After a brief sanitarium stay following a breakdown and suicide attempt in the wake of her terminally ill mother's death in an explosion, Anna (Emily Browning) is going home. Glad as she is to see her father (David Strathairn) and sister (Arielle Kebbel), Anna is less happy to see her father's girlfriend, Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), who -- not coincidentally -- used to be her mother's nurse. Haunted by visions, Anna begins to realize that perhaps Rachel had something to do with her mother's death.
Is it any good?
Another in a long line of Asian horror films remade for American audiences, THE UNINVITED has all the hallmarks and drawbacks of peers like The Grudge and Pulse. There are familiar scary visions, a reliance on atmosphere over plot, and a contempt for the audience -- manifested by emphasizing violence and chills over plot and character, as if enough blood and gore will distract us from the shabby plot moments and the characters' shallowness.
Worst of all, The Uninvited builds to a climactic twist that feels more annoying than exciting and more shallow than suspenseful. The filmmakers want you to examine all the ways that the twist rewrites what you've seen before, but that aim would be a lot easier to accomplish if they'd actually given you a reason to care about all of that stuff. The Uninvited whould perhaps have been more honestly titled The Uninspired.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the central plot point -- what challenges do families face after the death of a parent? How does this movie exaggerate some of those real-life issues? Do you think it's trying to send a particular message?
Why ar Asian horror films so popular as
material for Hollywood remakes. How does their typical style of violence differ from other kinds of horror movies?
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AGE
for Preteens
it was a confusing movie and some sexual content and language i wouldnt let kids 12 and under see this movie.
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AGE
Some sex and language but not bad
The language and sex is mild but my kids are mature and responsible so I see no problem with it.my daughter loved it and so did I!
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AGE
good movie.
loved it! awesome movie, don't take anyone under like 9 though. pretty disturbing. i mean, don't like try to censor kids, cause its not a big deal. theres some nasty words, though nothing most of us haven't heard before. good for teens and pre- teens. i saw this movie when i was 11, and i wasn't scarred for life or anything.
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AGE
scarrryyy!!!
very scary and violent not for the faint of heart.
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AGE
This movie is really good, but it gets very confusing at the end. i would say the movie isnt really that bad, though there is plenty of language, f***ing is used once. the movie is a little freaky at times, most murders arent shown onscreen. Great horror movie, sure to be enjoyed by ur teens and preteens.
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AGE
The ending is probably what haunts you the most.
I like how it turns into a mystery, but then hits you with a surprise ending that leave you haunted. I stayed up all night thinking about that ending. It could've used more scares though.
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AGE
good but a few more scares would've made it perfect
Good horror film, better than the Korean original. Needed more scares though
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AGE
Good movie. Suitable for ages 12 & up. (I was 12 when i saw it and no nightmares or scares, anything.)
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AGE
13+ sorry kids that get on this website to show their parents movies and reviews for movies they wanna see. just wait
I LOVED IT!!! OK, when you're done with this movie you feel dark and scared but it's amazing. At the absolute very beginning the main character is making out with her boyfriend on a towel at a party, gets up after hearing something in the woods right next to her. She walks in and see's dead children in garbage bags.
SPOILER ALERT! She kills her step mother, shows alot of blood.
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AGE
FANTASTIC
love this film shocking ending i was :O :O :O got it on dvd!
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Thomas Guard |
| Cast: | Arielle Kebbel, David Strathairn, Elizabeth Banks |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 87 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 30, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | April 28, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | violent and disturbing images, thematic material, sexual content, language and teen drinking |
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