Loosely based on Henry James’ classic 1898 novella, The Turn Of The Screw, The Turning comes to us courtesy of screenwriters, Carey W. Hayes and Chad Hayes, and director, Floria Sigismondi. Putting a modern spin on the original premise, the film is set in 1994, where we meet Kate (Mackenzie Davis), a young woman who has just been hired as a live-in nanny for a young orphaned girl at a wealthy and mysterious estate. When she travels out to the countryside, she meets little Flora (Brooklynn Prince), and at a later point, her older brother, Miles (Finn Wolfhard). Things seem perfectly fine at first, but a combination of Miles’ weird hostility and some strange, unexplainable occurrences make Kate think there is more to the manor than what was told to her.
It’s a classic setup for a gothic horror film, as the original story has already inspired countless adaptations and reimaginings through various mediums over the years – most notably the incredible 1961 film, The Innocents – and it’s easy to see why. A spooky setting, an outsider protagonist, and of course, the whole “was it all real or was it in their head” question that allows for multiple interpretations. This element is leaned on much, at least, not until the film’s ending, which will likely lead to some confusing and maybe even angry reactions from an unsuspecting crowd.
But before then, we get a somewhat uneven, but serviceable mix of jump scares and gothic atmosphere. Before she made her debut film, The Runaways, Sigismondi was already an accomplished music video director, and that craft is very much on display here. There’s some good costume work that evokes the time period without seeming obvious, a sense of pacing that is measured and methodical, and the occasional stylistic flourishes with the camera that makes me think Hammer was an influence on the film’s visual language. Nathan Barr’s score is also refreshingly not as bombastic as most mainstream horror scores tend to be, giving a lowkey eeriness that keeps the flow of the film’s tension going.
However, as admirable as these elements are, the whole is far more uneven. Thematically, the film touches on a few different things. One is unwanted male attention, as Miles not only acts hostile as times, but displays far more creepy behavior towards Kate at several points early on, which may or may not be connected in some way to a possible spirit in the house. There is also the idea of being stuck in a broken or toxic home situation, and while you may be aware of that, there is often something that keeps you there. The children of the house do not leave the property, and Flora even bursts to tears at one point as Kate tries to drive her to town. With the way these moments are framed, it’s mirrors the kind of experience someone would have in an abusive environment. And then there is the aspect of Kate maybe or maybe not inheriting the mental health issues that her mother suffers from, and the anxiety that can be born out of that. The film certainly dabbles in a number of things, but it rarely commits strongly enough to one so that it can provide the film a bit of a backbone that can hold itself together in a meaningful way. While I understood the intentions and implications of the film’s ending, I don’t think it necessarily did the work to earn that on a narrative level.
If there’s anything that keeps the film afloat, it’s the performances. It helps that the three main leads are all very talented performers. Davis is a likable lead, and brings some weight and emotional heft to small lines and moments that the script otherwise doesn’t really provide. Prince is a natural in front of the camera, bringing a lively sensibility to the proceedings that keeps you on your toes, especially when you first meet her. Wolfhard is the only one that suffers a bit due to the material since his characterization is a bit inconsistent, but on a moment-to-moment level, he is good. When he needs to be sinister, he really works, and his interplay with Davis is engaging.
It’s within these fleeting moments and compelling performances that make it all the more disappointed in the film as a whole. It’s not necessarily a terrible film, but it is a middling and ultimately forgettable one. It has its technical merits and the actors certainly elevate the material, but it just isn’t enough to carry its stilted and underdeveloped ideas into something that has a strong, lasting impact. Had the entire film been as bold and as audacious as the final couple minutes, there might be something special here. But as is? It’ll just have to do until Mike Flanagan brings his take on the exact same book with his new Netflix series coming later this year.