THEY

Julia is a psychology student about to graduate. One day, the girl receives a phone call from Billy, a childhood friend; after meeting, Billy confides in Julia that "They" are pursuing him and have returned to take him to the world of shadows, immediately taking his own life. From that moment on, the girl begins to remember that as a child she suffered from night terrors and Billy was also affected; over time, Julia had convinced herself that her fear was simply a childhood fear, but recent events make her realize that "They" really exist, they are evil creatures that hide in the dark with the intention of terrifying and kidnapping the children they have marked. Produced by Wes Craven and directed by Robert Harmon (the director of the cult film "The Hitcher"), "They" is one of the first attempts, in recent horror productions, to exploit the darkness and what lives within it to scare the viewer. The result is undoubtedly pleasant and the film succeeds in its main intention: to create an atmosphere that manages to instill in the viewer a fair dose of terror. The film in question, in fact, relies entirely on suggested horror and suspense, supported by a series of unsettling locations, such as the nighttime subway, and other places of daily routine that are nevertheless made dirty and degraded, capable of making the viewer feel uncomfortable, especially thanks to an effective photography that favors dark and dull colors. As mentioned earlier, the horror is only suggested, so there are no violent or bloody scenes (although the moment when the protagonist removes the organic probe from her skull is quite disgusting) and the creatures that live in the dark are never clearly shown, but can only be seen fleetingly in some scenes: in this case, one can speak of a more than successful choice, since showing the monsters clearly could easily have led to unintentional ridicule; instead, in this case, the focus is more on the effect that precedes the arrival of the creatures, since their presence is announced by children's moans and sudden blackouts or electrical interruptions: a script device of sure effect. Unlike contemporary films ("Al calare delle tenebre") or epigones ("Boogeyman"), in "They" there is a greater characterization of the characters, a lesser use of effects and gimmicks, and an appreciable care for the narrative plot. The screenplay is credited to Brendon William Hood, but in reality, it is only the subject, since the production entrusted the writing of the script to a team of ten screenwriters. Harmon's direction is elegant and at the same time fluid; while the cast is composed of little-known young actors, among whom the brave protagonist, played by Laura Regan ("Unbreakable" and "My little eye"), stands out. In conclusion, "They" is a good film that manages to successfully exploit the theme of the fear of the dark, proving superior to many recent films centered on the same theme. Excellent atmosphere and well-executed tension scenes. Recommended.