The General (S01E06)

Airdate: November 3rd 1967

Written by: Lewis Greifer Directed by: Peter Graham Scott

Running Time: 50 minutes

The enduring cult status of The Prisoner over the decades stems significantly from its alignment with the anti-authoritarian and anti-establishment sentiments that defined the most numerous—and eventually most influential—demographic cohorts of its time: the Baby Boomers. For members of this generation, their first profound encounter with authoritarianism and the suffocating demands for conformity often occurred within the familiar walls of their schools. It is therefore unsurprising that one of the series' most incisive episodes, The General, directly confronts the oppressive nature of educational institutions. This episode stands as a particularly resonant critique from Patrick McGoohan's seminal work, capturing the generational frustration with systems designed to suppress individuality through rigid pedagogical methods that prioritise memorisation over genuine understanding.

Scriptwriter Lewis Greifer, credited under the pen name "Joshua Graham," drew direct inspiration from his own domestic sphere when crafting this episode. His young son's complaints about the school system's insistence on rote learning—forcing him to memorise facts without any meaningful comprehension of underlying concepts—provided the foundational spark for The General. This personal grievance transformed into a powerful allegory about institutional control, where education becomes indistinguishable from indoctrination. Greifer's insight was prescient; he recognised that the same mechanisms used to suppress critical thinking in classrooms could easily be repurposed for broader societal control, a theme that would resonate deeply with viewers who had themselves endured similar educational experiences.

In the Village, this educational tyranny manifests through Professor (played by Peter Howell), who claims to have invented "Speed Learn," a technique allegedly capable of compressing six months of academic material into fifteen seconds. Broadcast as a educational programme on Village television, the concept immediately raises Number Six's suspicions. He rightly perceives it as little more than a sophisticated guise for mind control, a suspicion dramatically confirmed when he discovers a tape recorder in which the Professor describes "Speed Learn" as an "abomination" that must be destroyed, operating under the authority of the mysterious figure known only as "the General." These suspicions deepen when Number Six encounters the Professor's art-loving wife (Betty McDowall), who initially maintains a happy facade claiming they came to the Village voluntarily, only to reveal her true hostility when provoked.

Meanwhile, Number Two (Colin Gordon, in a rare repeat appearance) grows increasingly concerned that Number Six will uncover the truth about "the General." Unbeknownst to him, his subordinate Number Twelve (John Castle) is secretly the Professor's ally, facilitating Number Six's acquisition of secret passes to attend Village board meetings. This enables Six to try sabotaging the next "Speed Learn" broadcast, though he is ultimately caught. In a moment of triumph, Number Two attempts to break Six by demanding he reveal his accomplice, casually suggesting he could extract the same information from "the General" instead. The climax reveals "the General" to be nothing more than a massive mainframe computer, presented as an infallible oracle capable of answering any question. Number Six, ever the contrarian, dares Number Two to allow him to pose a question that would prove the machine fallible. The arrogant Number Two agrees, only to witness "the General" catastrophically overload when Six asks the devastatingly simple question: "why." In the ensuing chaos, as the Professor attempts to prevent the computer's destruction, both he and Number Twelve are electrocuted. The episode concludes with Number Six delivering the tragic news to the Professor's wife, a moment that provides unexpected emotional weight to the otherwise cerebral narrative.

The The General unmistakably bears the imprint of its 1960s British production context, targeting the conservative, arrogant Establishment against which the younger generation was then rebelling. The ossified and oppressive education institutions depicted here mirror those that Lindsay Anderson would famously attack in his seminal film If.... the following year. However, McGoohan's approach to rebellion is notably more subtle and less violently extreme than Anderson's. The critique here is intellectual rather than physical, with Number Six weaponising philosophical inquiry against technological authoritarianism. John Castle's performance as Number Twelve subtly telegraphs his true allegiance through mere youthfulness—a visual shorthand suggesting that the younger generation instinctively recognises the tyranny of rote learning and resists it.

On the other hand, the episode's central concept—humanity's inhumanity embodied by a grand, seemingly infallible computer—feels dated and clichéd by contemporary standards. The image of a mainframe fed by punch cards now appears quaintly archaic, and Number Six's method of defeating it (posing an unanswerable philosophical question) bears uncomfortable resemblance to how Captain Kirk routinely defeated similar powerful computers in Star Trek: The Original Series. This diminishes the episode's uniqueness, making it feel less like a groundbreaking critique and more like a variation on a well-worn science fiction trope.

Director Peter Graham Scott delivers a generally solid, if uneven, execution. The episode suffers from pacing issues, particularly in its first half, where the audience struggles to comprehend what is truly happening amidst the deliberately confusing narrative structure. The character of the Professor's wife initially functions as a confusing red herring, her shifting allegiances muddying the waters unnecessarily. Yet this ambiguity ultimately serves a purpose, as her final interaction with Number Six provides the episode's most human moment, briefly revealing Six's capacity for compassion beneath his usual steely exterior.

An unusual aspect of production was the necessity to bring back Colin Gordon as Number Two, originally written for another actor. This created continuity problems, as Gordon's Number Two had been utterly humiliated and defeated by Number Six in the previous episode A. B. and C., making his continued position as Village administrator implausible. Nevertheless, Gordon maintains remarkable consistency in his portrayal, capturing the same arrogant hostility that characterised his earlier appearances. This consistency arguably strengthens the episode, as Gordon's Number Two feels like a genuine continuation of the Village's power structure rather than a new, disconnected authority figure.

Perhaps the most distinctive element of "The General" is Arthur Elms' dramatic and highly noticeable musical score. Elms employs sweeping orchestral arrangements that imbue the episode with a gravitas exceeding its actual substance. The music swells at moments that might otherwise feel mundane, creating an artificial sense of importance that occasionally borders on the melodramatic. While effective in establishing mood, this approach sometimes makes the episode sound larger and more meaningful than it truly is, compensating for narrative weaknesses with auditory grandeur.

At the end, The General is a fascinating, if flawed, entry in The Prisoner canon. Its critique of educational authoritarianism remains relevant, even if its technological fears now seem quaint. The episode's strength lies not in its plot mechanics—which feel increasingly dated—but in its philosophical core, where Number Six's simple question "why" represents the ultimate weapon against any system claiming infallibility. In an era where standardised testing and educational conformity remain contentious issues, The General continues to resonate, reminding us that true learning cannot be reduced to data points or compressed into fifteen-second bursts. The episode's enduring value lies in its assertion that the ability to question, to seek meaning beyond mere facts, constitutes the most subversive and ultimately human act of all—a message as vital today as it was in the 1960s.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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Better Man es de esas pelis que te pone a hacerte preguntas, es sobre Robbie Williams pero sale un bendito mono CGI durante las dos horas completas sin parar, tipo un chimpance animado por computadra haciendo de humano y todos actúan como si fuera normalito, nadie dice nada sobre que es un bicho peludo correteando por la calle jugando futbol con los otros y yo ahí sentada pensando que clase de película rara acabo de empezar a ver porque esto se ve como experimento fallido jajaaj. El mono está muy bien hecho si hablamos a nivel técnico, se nota que le metieron plata a los efectos especiales pero nunca pude quitarme de la mente que estaba viendo un simio cantando en un escenario en lugar de ver a una persona sufriendo de adicción a las drogas, entonces el impacto emocional que debería tener la historia se pierde un poco por esa vaina absurda de hacer que un animal animado sea el protaonista. Entiendo que Robbie se ve así mismo como un mono de circo que entretiene a las masas sin evoluionar como persona, pero eso lo pudieron mostrar de otra forma, la verdad era preferible que usaran a alguien y que el mono fuera solo una metáfora en lugar de ser literal pero bueno que te puedo decir.

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La historia arranca con Robbie de chiquito en Stoke viviendo con su mamá y su abuela que es un amor pero su papá es una basura que abandona a toda la familia solo porque gano cinco euros una noche en una competencia de canto, y el carajo se fue dejandolos tirados como si fueran nada y eso marca a Robbie para toda su vida buscando aprobación del papa que nunca estuvo ahi para el. Después hace una audición para una banda del momento pero al inicio tocaban en bares de gays porque nadie más les daba chance y Robbie admite que tuvo rollos con hombres. La banda se hace famosa pero Robbie siempre se siente como el payaso del grupo porque Gary Barlow es el que escribe todas las canciones y se lleva todo el dinero mientras los demás ganan migajas a pesar de que todos tienen el mismo trabajo, después lo botan y lo dejan en la calle como un perro. Ahí es cuando Robbie intenta matarse manejando el carro al agua pero no es tan impactante la escena porque lo que uno ve es un mono hundiéndose en lugar de una persona desesperada queriendo terminar con todo el dolor, después decide que va a tener éxito como solista solo por venganza y conoze a Guy Chambers un productor que le dice que las canciones tienen que costarte algo para que valgan y de ahí sale Angels que se convierte en su tema más grande y el que define su carera entera.

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Durante todo el rollo Robbie anda con Nicole Appleton de All Saints y ella queda embarazada pero el manager la obliga a abortar para que no arruine su carrera de cantante, después Nicole termina con Liam Gallagher de Oasis que era el archienemigo de Robbie entonces imagínate lo jodido que fue para el ver a su ex con su rival teniendo el bebe que el nunca pudo tener con ella, no caen en drama pero uno si se entera de unos chismes buenos aquí jajaja. La adicción a las drogas y al alchol se muestra bien crudo, ves al mono metiéndose coca y tomando hasta quedar tirado en el suelo alejando a toda la gente que lo quiere incluyendo a su mejor amigo. Hay una escena donde Robbie esta preparándose para un concierto y está tan drogado y paranoico que ve versiones de si mismo por todos lados criticándolo y diciéndole que es un fracaso, entonces salta del escenario y pelea contra todas esas versiones y eso parece una escena del Planeta de los Simios pero que funciona para mostrar sus demonios internos aunque esa parte ufe exagerada y larga. Su papa aparece de nuevo cuando Robbie ya es famoso porque obvio ahora si le interesa estar cerca por el dinero y la fama.

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Al final Robbie va a rehabilitación después de tocar fondo y le pide perdón a toda la gente que lastimó, va a la casa de su mejor amigo a disculparse, visita la tumba de su abuela quien murió mientras el estaba de gira y no pudo despedirse. La película termina con un concierto donde Robbie le da las gracias a su mama y luego sorprende a todos trayendo a su papá al escenario para cantar My Way juntos igual que cuando el era niño, esa escena me pegó porque a pesar de todo lo rata que fue su papa Robbie encuentra la manera de perdonarlo. Visualmente la película me pareció increíble con secuencias musicales que están brutales, me gustó la de Rock DJ donde están bailando por toda la ciudad con coreografías locas y el mono en medio de todo, también usaron tremenda tecnología para el mono ese porque tiene expresiones realistas pero el problema por lo menos para mí es que yo nunca pude hacerme la loca con el mono ese, estuve esperando que en algún momento se transformara en humano para simbolizar su evolución como persona porque el mismo dice que no está evolucionado que es un animal entonces tenía sentido que al final cuando ya está recuperado se volviera humano pero eso nunca pasó y fue mono hasta el final lo cual arruinó el impacto emocional que pudo haber tenido la historia completa. Las actuaciones son buenas creo que la mejor es la de Steve Pemberton como el papá de Robbie ese tipo le da profundidad a un personaje que fácilmente pudo haber sido solo el papá malo y ya, la abuela interpretada por Alison Stedman es demasiado cuchi cada escena con ella te rompe el corazón de lo dulce que es con Robbie cuando todos los demás lo tratan mal.

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El tema es que esta película funciona como una carta de disculpas gigante de Robbie Williams a toda la gente que lastimó en su vida, es como el proceso de hacer las paces que hacen los alcohólicos en recuperación entonces tiene ese nivel de honestidad y vulnerabilidad que no ves en otras películas musicales porque usualmente las familias no dejan que muestren las partes más feas pero acá Robbie está involucrado en la produxion entonces dio permiso para mostrar todo lo malo que hizo incluyendo ser un imbécil con su mejor amigo y tratarlo como basura. Pero al mismo tiempo la película es muy narcisista, todo es sobre lo especial y diferente que es Robbie Williams y como a pesar de ser un pendejo toda su vida al final todo está bien porque tuvo un concierto exitoso y se disculpó con la gente, no me parece que sea así que puedas hacer lo que te de la gana y después con un simple perdón arreglarlo todo y ya. Además me parece que la peli es demasiado larga y más en la segunda parte donde está en su peor momento de adicción, creo que se extendió más de la cuenta. Y si hubieran usado un actor real en lugar del mono creo que hubiera conectado más con la historia a nivel emocional, entiendo la intención de que así es como el se ve a si mismo y el mono representa todas sus inseguridades y su sentimiento de no ser suficientemente pero swo me distrajo un pco de la historia real, yo le doy a Better Man un 7/10 es una película bien hecha a nivel téccico con buenas actuaciones y secuencias musicales impresionantes pero me pareció más una peli para calmar el de ego de Robbie Williams que algo real sobre la lucha con la adicción y la fama, aunque si eres fan de este tipo seguro te gusta más que a mi porque te da contexto sobre todas sus canciones.

[ENGLISH VERSION]

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Better Man is one of those movies that makes you ask questions, it's about Robbie Williams but there's a blessed CGI monkey for the entire two hours nonstop, like a computer-animated chimpanzee playing a human and everyone acts like it's totally normal, nobody says anything about it being a furry creature running around the street playing soccer with the others and I'm sitting there thinking what kind of weird movie did I just start watching because this looks like a failed experiment hahaha. The monkey is really well done if we're talking technical level, you can tell they put money into the special effects but I could never get it out of my mind that I was watching an ape singing on a stage instead of seeing a person suffering from drug addiction, so the emotional impact that the story should have gets lost a bit because of that absurd thing of making an animated animal be the protagonist. I understand that Robbie sees himself as a circus monkey entertaining the masses without evolving as a person, but they could have shown that another way, honestly it would have been better if they used someone and the monkey was just a metaphor instead of being literal but well what can I tell you.

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The story starts with Robbie as a kid in Stoke living with his mom and his grandma who's a sweetheart but his dad is trash who abandons the whole family just because he won five euros one night in a singing competition, and the asshole left them stranded like they were nothing and that marks Robbie for his entire life seeking approval from the dad who was never there for him. Then he auditions for a band of the moment but at first they played in gay bars because nobody else gave them a chance and Robbie admits he had flings with men. The band gets famous but Robbie always feels like the clown of the group because Gary Barlow is the one who writes all the songs and gets all the money while the rest earn scraps even though they all have the same job, then they kick him out and leave him on the street like a dog. That's when Robbie tries to kill himself driving the car into the water but the scene isn't that impactful because what you see is a monkey sinking instead of a desperate person wanting to end all the pain, then he decides he's going to be successful as a solo artist just out of revenge and meets Guy Chambers a producer who tells him that songs have to cost you something to be worth it and from there comes Angels which becomes his biggest song and the one that defines his entire career.

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During the whole thing Robbie is with Nicole Appleton from All Saints and she gets pregnant but the manager forces her to abort so it doesn't ruin her singing career, then Nicole ends up with Liam Gallagher from Oasis who was Robbie's archenemy so imagine how messed up it was for him to see his ex with his rival having the baby he could never have with her, they don't fall into drama but you do learn some good gossip here hahaha. The addiction to drugs and alcohol is shown pretty raw, you see the monkey doing coke and drinking until he's passed out on the floor pushing away all the people who love him including his best friend. There's a scene where Robbie is getting ready for a concert and he's so high and paranoid that he sees versions of himself everywhere criticizing him and telling him he's a failure, so he jumps off the stage and fights all those versions and it looks like a scene from Planet of the Apes but it works to show his inner demons although that part was exaggerated and long. His dad shows up again when Robbie is already famous because obviously now he's interested in being around for the money and fame.

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In the end Robbie goes to rehab after hitting rock bottom and apologizes to all the people he hurt, he goes to his best friend's house to apologize, visits his grandma's grave who died while he was on tour and he couldn't say goodbye. The movie ends with a concert where Robbie thanks his mom and then surprises everyone by bringing his dad onstage to sing My Way together just like when he was a kid, that scene hit me because despite everything shitty his dad was Robbie finds a way to forgive him. Visually the movie seemed incredible to me with musical sequences that are brutal, I liked the Rock DJ one where they're dancing all over the city with crazy choreography and the monkey in the middle of everything, they also used amazing technology for that monkey because it has realistic expressions but the problem at least for me is that I could never play dumb with that monkey, I was waiting for it to transform into a human at some point to symbolize his evolution as a person because he himself says he's not evolved that he's an animal so it made sense that at the end when he's already recovered he would become human but that never happened and he was a monkey until the end which ruined the emotional impact the whole story could have had. The performances are good I think the best is Steve Pemberton as Robbie's dad that guy gives depth to a character that could have easily just been the bad dad and that's it, the grandma played by Alison Stedman is too cute every scene with her breaks your heart from how sweet she is with Robbie when everyone else treats him badly.

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The thing is this movie works as a giant apology letter from Robbie Williams to all the people he hurt in his life, it's like the making amends process that recovering alcoholics do so it has that level of honesty and vulnerability you don't see in other musical movies because usually families don't let them show the ugliest parts but here Robbie is involved in the production so he gave permission to show all the bad stuff he did including being an asshole to his best friend and treating him like trash. But at the same time the movie is very narcissistic, everything is about how special and different Robbie Williams is and how despite being a jerk his whole life in the end everything's fine because he had a successful concert and apologized to people, I don't think that's how it works that you can do whatever you want and then with a simple sorry fix everything and that's it. Plus I think the movie is too long especially in the second part where he's at his worst moment of addiction, I think it went on longer than it should have. And if they had used a real actor instead of the monkey I think I would have connected more with the story on an emotional level, I understand the intention that that's how he sees himself and the monkey represents all his insecurities and his feeling of not being enough but that distracted me a bit from the real story, I give Better Man a 7/10 it's a well-made movie on a technical level with good performances and impressive musical sequences but it seemed to me more like a movie to calm Robbie Williams' ego than something real about the struggle with addiction and fame, although if you're a fan of this guy you'll probably like it more than me because it gives you context about all his songs.

TranslatedwithDeepL

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One thing I love about the movie is how it relates to Human's curiosity for the unknown. The movie was directed by Vaughn Stein featuring Jordana Brewter, Scott Speedman and Laurence Fishburne. The movie began with John and Sera, a couple anticipating having a child, but then, they both wanted to start a new life , somewhere outside the city. The couple seemed perfect, but John still held a secret. In their search for a perfect house, they met with Emmett , who offered them his house with one condition "never to open the Cellar Door" and the house becomes theirs if only they keep the condition.

Unfortunately, John and Sera weren't the first couple who had lived there with such a condition, but all who lived there often have one ending "An end to their perfect love". It wasn't some kind of spell or mystery, but the curiosity to open the Cellar door. A man who once lived there best described every decoration added to the walls as a means to cover more secrets. Was he right? It's left for you to find out.

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The movie Cellar Door is full of mystery and suspense, sometimes our curiosity and anxiousness is what brings our fears to life and even more. Could John's curiosity lead him to not owning the house, or was there something more terrifying for him to uncover? Would the once lovely couple end up like the others?. The Movie Cellar Door is worth the watch, because in a house with a Cellar Door, what matters the most is the home and not the house, one slip and you'd discover that the cellar door isn't the problem, but the one whom the rule is applied to.

Hello, community! 👋

If you're looking for a series with a classic Western flavor but with a story that feels fresh and necessary, you have to watch Lawmen: Bass Reeves. I'm going to tell you about it as if we were having a coffee, without any technical jargon.

Hola, comunidad! 👋

Si están buscando una serie con sabor a Oeste clásico pero con una historia que se siente fresca y necesaria, tienen que ver Hombre de la ley: Bass Reeves. Se las voy a contar como si estuviéramos tomando un café, sin tecnicismos.

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Imagine a man who was born into slavery and ends up becoming one of the most feared and respected lawmen in the Old West. That is exactly Bass Reeves, and this series tells his story: the hardships and triumphs he experienced, his escape, his time living with Native tribes, and finally, his work chasing criminals. It's not just a simple "good vs. evil" tale; we see how his job affects his family and his own morals.

Imagínense a un hombre que nació esclavo y termina convertido en uno de los alguaciles más temidos y respetados del Lejano Oeste. Eso es exactamente Bass Reeves, y esta serie nos cuenta su vida: las dificultades y triunfos que vivió, su huida, su tiempo viviendo con tribus nativas y, finalmente, su trabajo persiguiendo criminales. No es solo "el bueno contra los malos"; veremos cómo su trabajo afecta a su familia y su propia moral.

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The chase scenes and shootouts are thrilling and well-filmed, with a setting that makes them feel authentic. The 19th-century wardrobe... it transports you to the authentic West. The series invites us to reflect on justice, freedom, and what it means to do the right thing.

Las escenas de persecución y tiroteos son emocionantes y están bien filmadas, con una ambientación que las hace sentir reales. El vestuario del siglo XIX... te transporta al Oeste auténtico. La serie nos invita a reflexionar sobre la justicia, la libertad y lo que significa hacer lo correcto.

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If you like Western movies or series, this one is practically a must-watch. It's one of those stories that leaves you wanting to know more about the real-life person.

It's entertaining, features strong performances, and tells a story that deserves to be told.

Si les gustan las películas o series del Oeste, esta es casi obligatoria. Es una de esas historias que te dejan con ganas de saber más sobre el personaje real.

Es entretenida, con buenas actuaciones y cuenta una historia que merece ser contada.

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The sources of the images were given Google Translator translation

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Hola amigos || Hello friends

Aun así, luego de conseguir quién me acompañara a ver la primera de la saga, las he visto todas y cada una de ella. Es más, de seguro igual que yo, ustedes también la han visto más de una vez. Son buenas historias y lo que más me llamó la atención es que fueran hechos de la vida real eso por supuesto, le da ese toque de realismo que hace que este tipo de producciones sean aún más tenebrosas y a su vez atractivas y atrapante. Bueno, aunque esta última entrega no me pareció tan buena como las primeras, mantengo el trabajo de solo ofrecer mi opinión sin dar detalles de la película y así cada quien tendrá sus opiniones. ¡Justo!

Even so, after finding someone to accompany me to see the first one in the series, I've seen each and every one of them. What's more, I'm sure that, like me, you've also seen them more than once. They are good stories, and what caught my attention the most is that they are based on real life events, which, of course, gives them that touch of realism that makes this type of production even more terrifying and, at the same time, attractive and captivating. Well, although I didn't think this latest installment was as good as the first ones, I will stick to just offering my opinion without giving details about the movie so that everyone can form their own opinions. Fair enough!

De todas maneras siento que para quienes disfrutamos mucho de la historia de los Warren es un excelente final. La narrativa de la película es un poco lenta, pero considero que era justa y necesaria aun cuando esos momentos parezcan eternos, son necesarios porque demuestran el desarrollo de los Warren a lo largo de los años. Hay otros momentos que brillan manteniéndonos atentos a la historia y a los eventos sobrenaturales que ocurren en la casa de la familia Smurl, quienes serán víctimas de un gran y desafortunado evento demoníaco.

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In any case, I feel that for those of us who really enjoy the Warren story, it's an excellent ending. The film's narrative is a bit slow, but I think it was fair and necessary, even if those moments seem to last forever. They are necessary because they show the Warren's development over the years. There are other moments that shine, keeping us attentive to the story and the supernatural events that occur in the Smurl family's home, who will be victims of a great and unfortunate demonic event.

Como cierre me parece un digno final porque le da un broche a la historia de los personajes que ya venimos siguiendo hace años y en donde por cierto en esta cuarta y última de la saga los actores Vera Farmiga y Patrick Wilson siguen sorprendiendo en sus papeles logrando conectar al espectador y convirtiéndonos en parte de la historia. Sin embargo, la película se centra más en un drama romántico familiar donde hay demasiada profundización en temas de amor y familia y no es que este mal, pero hablamos del El Conjuro y la familia Warren un filme de terror asegurado. Entonces, los momentos de suspenso se concentran principalmente en los últimos 30-40 minutos dejando la mayor parte de la película con poca tensión pero aún a pesar de todo, considero que no es la mejor de la saga pero tiene un justo final.

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As a conclusion, I think it's a worthy ending because it puts the finishing touches on the story of the characters we've been following for years. In this fourth and final installment of the saga, actors Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson continue to surprise in their roles, connecting with the audience and making us part of the story. However, the film focuses more on a romantic family drama where there is too much depth on the themes of love and family, and it's not that this is bad, but we are talking about The Conjuring and the Warren family, a guaranteed horror film. So, the moments of suspense are mainly concentrated in the last 30-40 minutes, leaving most of the film with little tension, but even so, I don't think it's the best in the series, but it has a fair ending.

I was browsing through my movie watchlist, in search of something good to watch. And I came across The Others. I didn't quite remember what about the movie made me list it, I decided to watch it regardless. I thought it would be worth my time despite forgetting what it's about. I honestly did not expect much from the movie when I pressed play. I thought it would just be another one of those horror movies about a woman, her strange house, strange things happen and then a priest comes to exorcise the place. In fact, I figured I knew exactly how it would end. But this movie was completely different. Like it actually flipped the prediction I have of all ghost movies.

The Plot

Grace Stewart stays in a big mansion, along with her two children. A girl and a boy named Anne and Nicholas. Her husband who went to war hasn't returned home, leaving it just the three of them. Anne and Nicholas both suffers from a rare condition that makes them allergic to daylight, which means that every curtain in the house remain closed. Grace is very strict about that. And so, the house is almost always dark and gloomy.

Grace hires three new servants - Mrs Mills, Mr. Tuttle and Lydia - to help around the house. From the moment they arrive, weird things starts happening. Doors open on their own, strange noises echo through the halls and Anne starts talking about seeing other people in the house. Grace, being religious and already on edge, starts to believe that was an intruder in her house.

Throughout the movie, she becomes paraniod. She thinks there are ghosts trying to harm her children. She hears voices, sees things move and even starts losing her grip on what's real. And then she learns that the three servants she hired and had working with her were actually long dead, for over a century. After that, the truth drops. The twist I didn't see coming at all.

Grace and her children weren't being hunted, they were the ghosts.

I remember literally sitting there, stunned. All those signs, the locked rooms, the strange servants and even the "intruders" she thought were haunting her, they were actually the living people. Grace and her children died some time ago. She was in a state of denial until the memory of what happened came back to her. It was really heartbreaking for me to watch. She remembered how she smothered her children and then killed herself. That part got me. The movie was no longer scary at that point; it's just sad.

When everything clicked, my mouth literally dropped. The movie had been leading me on from the start and I completely fell for it. The entire time, I kept suspecting the servants and when Grace discovered that the servants had actually died years ago, I thought, "Aha, I knew it". But nah, I was wrong. I had just watched a whole movie, watching ghosts live their lives, feeling bad for them, thinking they were a victim of haunting, but ghost all along, they were the ghosts. The whole movie completely flipped in one scene and then it started to make sense.

Grace and her children remained in the house. They refused to leave even though they were already dead, claiming it as theirs. While the family who moved into the house left.

It's honestly brilliant storytelling. There was no need for jumpscares or blood. The fear came from the truth itself.

I liked how the movie played with perspective. We're so used to seeing ghosts as the scary ones haunting the living. But here, the movie flips it. The living were the strangers and the ghosts were the ones just trying to keep their home. It's genuis.

Nicole Kidman's performance sold everything perfectly. At the same time, she was strict, afraid, protective, and delicate. The shift from anger to confusion to realisation was heartbreaking to watch.

I would rate The Others a 9/10. It was indeed worth my time. If you love psychological horror, this one is absolutely worth watching.

Images source: IMDB

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9362930/
• Platform: AppleTV+

Rottentomatoes Rating

The story itself is pretty straightforward and nothing amazing, you actually might think ok they took the Spider Man story like and mix it with another bug? yup kinda, Jaime comes home from college to find his family about to lose their house, gets a job through Jenny Kord who steals this alien scarab from her aunt Victoria and boom he becomes Blue Beetle when the scarab chooses him as its host, Im 110% sure that in the comics this has to be more complex than that although thats the basics, I dont want to make it feel like Im trying to push it under the rug but it aint complicated at all. Victoria Kord played by Susan Sarandon is supposed to be this menacing villain but she comes across more like a generic corporate bad guy who wants to weaponize alien technology, nothing we haven't seen before in a dozen other movies and her motivations never really feel threatening enough but so far until 2025 I havent found a Thanos in the DCU, at least not yet. The whole thing with Carapax the indestructible man being her personal weapon has some interesting backstory about trauma but it gets rushed through with very little content and we dont have time to process the deeper meaning of what they are trying to say about imperialism and military intervention and a bunch of other themes that get lost within the movie. What works better is the relationship between Jaime and the scarab itself, the way they communicate and learn to work together feels like proper character build up and the visual effects when he transforms are impressive for a movie that didn't have a massive budget. The action scenes are nothing spectacular but just seen Xolo into the Blue Beetle learning his powers is fun enough with all the comedy in between, there is some good practical suit work mixed with CGI that look convincing and the final battle in the family backyard has this weird charm where everyone gets involved in fighting off the bad guys, again like Thunderbolts (2025).

The costume design for Blue Beetle looks great and feels like it could exist in the same universe as other DC heroes without looking cheap or fake, I think would mix just great with the recent Superman (2025) movie as its very comic like and not so dark as The Batman. For the time this movie came out there is a nice visual style that feels different from other DC movies without being too flashy or distracting from the story plus the music and how the sound effects were use hits the right notes when it needs to, with superhero music with some Latino influences that make it feel more connected with the rest of the movie, there is also the sound effects during the transformation scenes that really sells the alien technology aspect of the scarab. I also find interesting how the story kinda sells a one and done situation, the movie doesn't try to set up a bunch of sequels or connect to a larger universe, it tells its own complete story while leaving room for more adventures but for the most part it does bring enough closure so at the end you are satisfied with how much the story advance. The hole thing about developing a universe where there are all this superheroes is that at some time they can collaborate with each other but Blue Beetle does great at been just a one guy army as he also has his family to back him up.

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