Screening from 19th May, 2022
Palace Nova East End
Drama / Fantasy / Horror
(Reviewed by John Glennie)
It’s Nordic summer and families head to the country for holidays. Ida and her autistic sister Anna are two young children who make this pilgrimage with their parents.
Heading out to play, 9-year old Ida meets Ben. They explore part of the forest near their apartments where Ben shows her his special skill – using his mind to divert a walnut shell from dropping straight to the ground and make it fly off to the side.
Ida & Ben 
Aisha
Meanwhile Anna, who apparently can’t feel pain and can’t talk, stays in the apartment with her mother. Ida is asked to take Anna to the playground and, when Ben sees her, Ida tells Anna to stay in the sandpit while she goes off to play. They discover a cat, which ends up on the bad end of a childish prank which upsets Ida. When she returns to the sandpit, Anna is missing but soon discovered with young Aisha – a quiet little girl with a skin disorder. Ida is surprised that Aisha and Anna appear to be communicating mentally.
These secret powers become more evident and stronger day by day. Aisha, Ben and Anna seem to be able to commute telepathically even across buildings. Ben soon discovers that he can use his power to inflict injury and force others to do things that they are unaware of. However Ben is put out when he discovers that Anna’s mental power appears to be stronger than his.
Aisha’s ability to communicate silently with Anna even allows her to get Anna to speak some words to Ida and her parents. However some of Anna’s new-found ability seems to only occur when Ben is around. In one mental standoff, Anna gets a spike embedded in her leg. When Ida says that Anna can’t feel anything, Aisha corrects her and tells her how Anna mentally describes the intensity of the pain.
Conflict between the children intensifies with some pretty frightening outcomes – some of the scenes even made me jump!!
The Innocents is a very compelling and, at times, disturbing movie. The kids play their roles superbly and manage to keep the viewer riveted to the screen. If you like the slightly macabre and horror, then don’t miss this one. I loved it!
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