- Release year: 2025
- Director: David Moreau.
- Producers: Clément Miserez and Matthieu Warter.
- Screenplay by: Jon Goldman and David Moreau.
- Cinematography by: Julien Ramirez Hernan.
- Music by: Nathaniel Méchaly.
Synopsis: a woman goes to her late mother’s house to set her affairs in order when she realises that a strange creature is lurking in the premises.
Shotgun Commentary: original, beautiful, and just terrifying enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Review
Other is an indie horror film that follows a woman as she faces her traumatic childhood memories during her stay at her late mother’s house. On top of horrible memories that have been taped, she’ll have to confront a dark, deadly secret from her past.
A great lead
The story begins with Alice (Olga Kurylenko). A woman who must travel back to her hometown after her mother is attacked and killed by a mysterious creature. Her arrival triggers all sorts of strange occurrences that gradually become more threatening. At first, she doesn’t notice, then she doesn’t want to notice, and finally, she wishes she hadn’t noticed.
Kurylenko delivers a wonderful performance in the leading role. After the disappointment of her blink-and-you’ll-miss-it performance in Thunderbolts* (2025) earlier this year, getting to see her shine in a leading role feels like scratching an itch you didn’t know you had. While her performances have never been bad at all, horror seems to be the perfect genre for her to shine. Especially since there are no other recognisable faces on the film… literally.
On a roll
As expected from the director of my favourite movie from 2024, MadS, this feature is original, engrossing, and creepy as hell. If you have followed the blog for a while, you might already know that I usually try to avoid trailers or any sort of information about films, other than name and poster, prior to watching them. This is to avoid any sort of preconception that might influence my overall thoughts on a movie.
Other was no different. A basic one-line synopsis and the title was all the information yours truly had before watching it, and yet, I had this incredible tingling sensation you get when you feel like you’re watching something truly special. A sort of excitement one does not get often, but the flavour felt familiar. That was, until a quick IMDb search placed it: it was the exact same feeling I got while watching MadS.
It is always great news when a great filmmaker continues to explore their craft and surprise their audience, and Moreau is certainly doing so. If his two latest features are anything to go by, I can’t wait to see what he has in store next.
In the eye of the beholder
The concept of beauty has been explored to exhaustion in cinema. All genres, formats, and perspectives have been presented, or at least that’s what we thought when The Substance (2024) came out saying absolutely nothing new on the matter. Luckily, we were wrong.
Other brings yet a new, original way to explore beauty and the harm it brings. One that doesn’t focus so much on the concept of image, but rather on how interpersonal relationships can completely destroy us, in particular, intergenerational trauma. This feature is the complete opposite of Left-Handed Girl (2025), but their topics are far more related than a quick glance might suggest. A fascinating dive into a deeply personal and easily relatable topic that shows, once again, that horror has plenty to say.
All in all, Other is a unique experience that any horror lover will certainly appreciate. It might not be as flashy as other movies with similar themes, but it is certainly one of the most unique. If you happen to have SHUDDER, do not miss it. And if you don’t, this is definitely the perfect excuse to join the platform.
Advice to take from this movie:
- Don’t live your dreams through your kids.
- If you create a beast, don’t be surprised when it bites you.
- If something shady is going on, and you want to warn someone, maybe don’t be cryptic as hell?
What’s your take? Have you watched Other? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀