THEY - Bitesize Review # 14

THEY ***

USA: Robert Harmon and Rick Bota, 2002.
Format: Original Theatrical Release

Note: My bitesize review was originally published by the Kent Messenger Newspaper Group (28.11.2002) and refers to the theatrical run of the film.

All too often modern horror films consist of inferior imitations of Wes Craven's self-reflexive genre movie Scream. Teen slashers I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend and other such tripe are devoid of quality acting suffer from weak storylines and are simply not scary. Thankfully, They takes a detour from this depressing trend to deliver a slick and disturbing chiller.

Up coming actress Laura Regan (My Little Eye) plays Juliet Lund – an opinionated and prosperous twenty-something studying for a Master's Degree in Psychology. However, Juliet's focused and ordered life begins to unravel after she witnesses the suicide of life-long friend Billy.

Haunted by the deceased's intense ravings about persecution at the hands of an unknown force from his childhood nightmares, Juliet suffers insomnia. Her mental health is further threatened when she too experiences a reoccurrence of the 'Night Terrors' she suffered as a young child.

Convinced the mysterious "They" Billy warned of are now closing in on her, Juliet seeks the advice of child psychiatrist Dr Booth. Recalling the context of Juliet's childhood nightmares, Dr Booth dismisses these episodes as the result of post-traumatic stress originally relating to the death of her father and now resurfaced due to her friend's suicide.

With this rational diagnosis of her symptoms, Juliet tries to return to her normal life. Unfortunately, as her 'Night Terrors' become more violent Juliet finds herself isolated and alone in a fight to save her own sanity.