Ils 2006

Critics score:
61 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Jessica Reaves, Chicago Tribune: Taut and remorseless, Them, which is allegedly based on actual events, is the perfect antidote to the stomach-churning gore served up by so many in the current crop of horror films. Read more

Joshua Katzman, Chicago Reader: First-time directors David Moreau and Xavier Palud have crafted a highly effective horror film that combines a plausible narrative with accomplished use of sound and image. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Them is more suspenseful than gory; there's little blood, but the tension gradually builds to a nail-biting level - an impressive feat, considering the movie is essentially one long chase. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: Them is Haneke on training wheels. Read more

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: Moreau and Palud play on the way our minds fill in the gaps of the unknown and the very primal fear of things going bump in the night. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: If you're going to imply that a French couple being terrorized in a remote Romanian mansion adds up to something more than an arbitrary (and rather repetitive) don't-go-in-the-basement thriller, then you'd better deliver the goods. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: Those who like their horror served up neat, no chaser, can safely belly up to Them. It is a pared-down French thriller that trades splatter and gore for tense efficiency. Read more

Jack Mathews, New York Daily News: If you want an hour or so of terror, put your faith in Them. Read more

Matt Zoller Seitz, New York Times: The movie Them revels in atmosphere, using long unbroken takes and ambient sound to lull you into complacency before unleashing nerve-jangling shocks. Read more

Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times: The fright is crafted well enough, but the twist at the end calls for more originality than filmmakers David Moreau and Xavier Palud wield. Read more

Nigel Floyd, Time Out: A 20-minute calling card short extended to a tolerance-stretching 74 minutes, this is an effectively directed but ultimately pointless wind-up exercise. Read more

Cliff Doerksen, Time Out: Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Read more

Lisa Nesselson, Variety: Lensed with skill to no particular end. Read more