I don't get the negativity towards this movie at all. I was hesitant to go see it because of the bad reviews it's gotten and then decided to give it a chance and boy am I glad I did. I think the main problem, right off the bat, is that the movie has really bad marketing. I think people are going into this movie thinking its going to be a balls to the walls horror movie filled with freaky, gross, or supernatural things that will scare the living hell out of them. The movie, I suppose, might seem slow to people who are expecting that over substance, story, and character. But, guess what, this movie is a Gothic romance to its core and if you have a child its going to hit you like a ton of bricks because its all about the love of a child. A family that's been, possibly, irretrievably broken by one of the single biggest losses a family can endure and the unconditional love one person (Emilia Clarke) has been able to provide to children and families that have endured trauma despite her own loss and lack of connection or family. Its set in the beautiful Italian countryside in a place that, if it were not so real, would seem unreal. It just drips atmosphere. The second stand out performance is the father (Marton Csokas) who has withdrawn into an angry and bitter person at the loss of his wife and the inexplicable disconnect with his boy. He doesn't seem to understand why his child has withdrawn and, I guess, after several attempts at helping him, seems to have almost given up on not only himself but the boy. Enter Emilia Clarke. Her character instinctively understands what the kid is feeling and how not to treat him. She is thrust into a really disturbing family dynamic and fortunately, she has the acting chops to pull off what I don't think most actresses could have, a real empathy towards this kid that transcends the script or filming. She has the same dynamic in Game of Thrones with children and just shines in this movie. I won't spoil the ending, but I will say that if it had a slightly different ending it would be the perfect movie. The ending seems to pander a little to the marketing people who felt that things shouldn't or couldn't have a definitive ending. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but it really felt out of place to the rest of the movie and I would love to hear the people who made it discuss this so I could understand it a little more. That tiny, little almost insignificant thing aside, this movie is a classic. Its not a horror movie at all, its a romance. A statement about what a family is. To the detractors and the haters, go hate on something else. To those willing to step into this movie with the expectation you are going to be given a lot more than blood and guts, but something with real substance I applaud you for having real courage. This is the first time I have ever written a review about any movie and that says a lot in my mind.
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