A small corner of the horror genre is dedicated to the killer child. It’s not exactly fun to think of your pintsized progeny taking up weapons and killing you. However, a virus (H1N1?) causes them to do just that in jolly old England. Don’t worry it’s just a movie… or is it? [Insert scary music here]
Elaine (Eva Birthistle) and Jonah (Steven Campbell) are joining Elaine’s sister Chloe (Rachel Shelley) and her husband Robbie (Jeremy Sheffield) at their English country home for a Christmas reunion.
It’s also a reunion of all the kids, Leah (Raffiella Brooks), Nicky (Jake Hathaway), Paulie (William Howes), Miranda (Eva Sayer), and cynical teenager Casey (Hannah Tointon), and Christmas looks to be a fun time. However, Paulie is sick and the adults talk it up to carsickness.
The illness quickly spreads among the children, as these sorts of viruses seem to do, but this particular sickness also affects the minds of the kids and makes them homicidal. Only Casey, who was planning on skipping out on this family affair to attend a party, seems to understand that the children have turned into something monstrous.
The Children is almost a zombie film, as they’re all the rage currently. This time the monsters coming to get you are your own kids. Talk about conflict. I brought you into the world and I can take you out of it you marauding monsters! Or maybe not.
Another bit in the news of late is the spread of viruses and The Children also plays on that fear as the bug that turns your kids into killing machines is of the same mold and spreads like wildfire. It’s always disturbing to have kids in danger. I remember seeing Pet Semetary in the theaters and when the kid is mowed down by the semi there was a lady that ran weeping from the theater. Kids in danger always hit a nerve.
However, what if it is the kids that are dangerous? Pretty scary if you ask me. Though I’d say that tykes attacking the much bigger adults seem fraught with problems. A swift kick should send your attackers airborne. Though you add to the mix that it’s your kids I could see how some could be reluctant to attack.
Not much explanation is given as to why the rug rats are killing, but the results are terrifying. I still liked Seventh Moon best of the Ghost House Underground titles, but The Children comes in a close second.
The Children is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.
Special features include the 19 minute “Making of the Children,” 6 minutes of deleted scenes, the 5 minute “Working with the Children” introduces us to the killer half-pints, the 3 minute “Shooting on Location” introduces us to the owners of the house using in the film, the 5 minute “Paul Hyett talks Prosthetics” is about the makeup, the 6 minute “Snow set Design” reveals that all the snow in the film was fake(!), and the 8 minute “Inside Tom Shankland’s on set Lair” shows the directors room while he was shooting.
You also get the 3 minute “Ghost House Mirco Videos,” the 90 second trailer, and previews of other Lionsgate titles.
The Children is a bit of a shocker. It’s shocking to see the kids go bad. What’s wrong with these kids today? Obviously its horror movies, comics, and too much soda that turn them into homicidal maniacs or it could be an insidious virus.
My money is on the soda though. It may have been the English accents, but The Children is a well made chiller that has the power to make you look twice when you see a group of kids roaming the streets. These Children are not alright.
The Children is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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