The Innocents is a 2021 Norwegian horror film about children that reveal their dark and mysterious powers when adults aren’t looking.
Written and directed by Eskil Vogt (Blind), the movie stars Rakel Fløttum, Alva Ramstad, Ismail Ashraf, Mina Asheim and Ellen Dorrit Petersen.
In a recent interview with the Norsk Filminstitutt, writer-director Eskil Vogt said: “I think kids are beyond good and evil or rather before good and evil. But I don’t think children are little angels, that people are born pure. I think children are born without any sense of empathy or morals, we have to teach them that.”
Reviews:
“As the film edges towards its startling finale Vogt creates a distinctive and highly-tuned alter universe in a lushly cinematic supernatural horror that remains tethered in reality while sending out shockwaves of terror with lowkey but chilling effect.” Filmuforia
“As the tension escalates and the stakes get higher, with gruesome consequences for several of the principles, Vogt keeps the focus tight on the children throughout, which somehow punches up the sense of dread. To paraphrase an old horror movie phrase, the danger is coming from inside the house, right from the start.” The Hollywood Reporter
“It depicts its tower block and environs neutrally – this doesn’t seem that bad a place to live, and the differing reasons for parents not to be too omnipresent in their kids’ lives aren’t necessarily bad. Vogt kills the cat early on – signalling just how ruthless his plotting is going to be, and this does several disturbing things that probably wouldn’t get through the development process in any American movie.” The Kim Newman Web Site
” …dispiritingly conventional—a familiar horror movie made leaden by a slow pace and weak plotting […] The movie also traffics in the unfortunate cliché of the autistic-child-as-magical-being.” RogerEbert.com
Distribution and release:
The Innocents was released in Norway on August 27th 2021.
IFC will release The Innocents theatrically in select locations and On-Demand (VOD) on May 13th 2022.
Cast and characters:
Rakel Lenora Fløttum … Ida
Alva Brynsmo Ramstad … Anna
Sam Ashraf … Ben
Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim … Aisha
Morten Svartveit … Ida og Annas far
Kadra Yusuf … Aishas mor
Lisa Tønne … Bens mor
Irina Eidsvold Tøien … Lege
Marius Kolbenstvedt … Mannen med stein
Kim Atle Hansen … Mannen ved døren
Nor Erik Vaagland Torgersen … 14-åringen
Birgit Nordby … Kvinnen på broen
Tone Grøttjord-Glenne … Gutt som brekker beinet
Trailer:
