The Other Side of the Door (2016 film)

Last updated

The Other Side of the Door
The Other Side of the Door 2016.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Johannes Roberts
Written by
  • Ernest Riera
  • Johannes Roberts
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Maxime Alexandre
Edited by Baxter
Music by Joseph Bishara
Production
companies
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • March 4, 2016 (2016-03-04)
Running time
95 minutes [1]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • India
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$5 million
Box office$14.3 million

The Other Side of the Door is a 2016 supernatural horror film directed by Johannes Roberts, and co-written by Roberts and Ernest Riera. Starring Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto, Javier Botet, and Sofia Rosinsky, the film was released in the United Kingdom and the United States on 4 March 2016. The film grossed over $14 million worldwide from a $5 million budget.

Contents

Plot

Maria Harwood has not recovered from the tragedy of losing her son Oliver, who drowned in a car accident in India. Maria instead rescued her daughter, Lucy, because Oliver's leg was trapped and Maria was unable to free it. Maria has been consumed by her guilt ever since. In the hospital following an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Maria is comforted by her housekeeper Piki. Piki asks Maria if she wants one final chance to say goodbye to Oliver. Piki explains that she has been in a similar predicament: she lost her own daughter in a drowning incident. According to Piki, there is an abandoned temple in her hometown where the barrier between the living and the dead is very thin. Maria must scatter her son's ashes at the temple steps and lock herself in. Oliver will speak to her once night falls. However, no matter what Oliver says, Maria must not open the temple door for him. Maria agrees and the pair have Oliver's body exhumed and burned. Maria notices some strange men covered in ash. Piki explains that they are Aghoris who consume the flesh of the dead and coat themselves in ash to strengthen their bonds between the worlds of the living and the dead.

The next day Maria arrives at the temple and follows Piki's instructions. Inside, she uncovers the mummified corpse of a woman. Night falls and Oliver begins talking to Maria. Maria apologizes to Oliver for leaving him. Oliver pleads with Maria to open the door but she explains that she cannot. When Oliver says he has to leave, Maria panics, wanting more time and opens the door, but sees no one. She returns home the next day. Now having closure, she focuses her attention on her husband, Michael, and Lucy but doesn't tell Piki that she opened the door. Strange things start happening: their piano plays itself and Lucy tells Maria that Oliver has come back and that he is hiding from someone. Lucy also tells Maria that she should not let Michael know about Oliver's return until Oliver is ready. In Oliver's room, a chair moves toward her along with a copy of The Jungle Book , which Maria had been reading to Oliver before the accident. Maria reads the book aloud. Piki notices that the nearby plants have started dying and realizes that Maria disobeyed her instructions.

Later, the decomposed body of Oliver appears near Lucy. Maria discovers a bloody bite mark on Lucy's shoulder when giving her a bath. Lucy, who was pleased with Oliver's return, tells Maria that she no longer likes Oliver. Maria tells Oliver that he musn't hurt Lucy. Oliver pulls out the chair and book again and Maria promises to read to him as long as he doesn't hurt Lucy. An aghori appears at the house and Maria is chased by the mummified body from the temple. Piki is outraged and confronts Maria; due to Maria’s actions, Oliver's soul cannot reincarnate and has become evil. She reveals to Maria that the strange figure she has been seeing is Mrtyu, the gatekeeper of the underworld, who reclaims the errant souls of the dead. Piki urges Maria to burn all of Oliver's possessions to break his hold on the living world.

Oliver appears in the guise of Piki's dead daughter and lures Piki to a pond where he drowns her. Michael discovers Maria burning Oliver's possessions. He does not believe Maria’s story, and Lucy suddenly denies any knowledge of Oliver returning. Maria realises that Oliver has possessed Lucy. Michael believes that Maria is becoming mentally unhinged and locks her in a room.

The aghoris crowd the house. The possessed Lucy kills the Harwood’s dog with a knife and stabs Michael. Maria escapes the locked room and finds aghoris in Oliver’s room chanting over Lucy's body. Unable to remove Oliver’s spirit from Lucy, they plan to sacrifice her. Michael stops them and Maria commands Oliver to leave. Oliver says he is scared, but Maria says she will go with him. Oliver's spirit leaves Lucy's body and enters Maria's. She charges the aghoris and demands they take her instead. Their leader fatally stabs her. She falls and awakens in the room alone. Mrtyu appears and takes Maria to the afterlife.

Maria then wakes up and briefly believes that she is alive. She hears Michael's voice call out for her. She sees the temple steps and realises Michael is attempting the same ritual to bring back Maria as she did with Oliver. Maria screams for him not to open the door.

Cast

Release

The film was originally scheduled to be released on 26 February 2016. [2] However, the release date was pushed back to 11 March 2016 and then later moved up to 4 March 2016. [3] [4]

Reception

Box office

The film opened on March 4, 2016 in limited release at only 546 locations where it got $1.2 million opening at No. 16. It grossed $3,000,342 in the United States. The film was a success internationally debuting top five across the world for a total of $14,332,467. In France the film opened at No. 4 and grossed $1,851,016.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 36%, based on reviews from 39 critics, with an average rating of 4.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Laden with flimsy jump scares and cheap stereotypes, The Other Side of the Door wastes solid work from Sarah Wayne Callies on thoroughly middling horror fare." [5] On Metacritic the film has a score of 41% based on reviews from 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [6]

Christian Holub from Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B+, writing, "like all the best horror, The Other Side of the Door is concerned not just with what freaks us out on a gut level, but the deeply-repressed anxieties that truly terrify us." [7] Critic Tim Janson, at the SciFi Movie Page gave the film two stars out of five stating the film "is a predictable, by-the-numbers affair which marks no new territory." [8]

Tom Huddleston of Time Out noted how the film panders to seamier representations of India "packed with scowling beggars, scuttling cockroaches, dutiful housemaids and shady shamans" — and that by doing so, the film was ultimately "so tasteless and knee-jerk in its depiction that it makes Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom look like a triumph of racial awareness." [9] Geoff Berkshire of Variety agreed with that assessment, adding "with a bare minimum of anthropological curiosity ... there’s no interest in mining the setting for anything other than exploitation." [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Dead of Night</i> 1945 British film

Dead of Night is a 1945 black and white British anthology supernatural horror film, made by Ealing Studios. The individual segments were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. It stars Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers, Sally Ann Howes and Michael Redgrave. The film is best remembered for the concluding story featuring Redgrave and an insane ventriloquist's malevolent dummy.

<i>Witchboard 2: The Devils Doorway</i> 1993 American horror film by Kevin S. Tenney

Witchboard 2: The Devil's Doorway is a 1993 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Kevin Tenney. It stars Ami Dolenz as an artist possessed by a ghost of a former occupant of her new apartment. The film is a sequel to the 1986 film Witchboard, and was followed by Witchboard III: The Possession (1995). It was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on September 10, 1993.

<i>The Forgotten</i> (1973 film) 1973 horror film directed by S. F. Brownrigg

The Forgotten is a 1973 independent horror film directed by S. F. Brownrigg, written by Tim Pope and starring Bill McGhee, former Playboy model Rosie Holotik, and Annabelle Weenick about homicidal patients at an insane asylum.

<i>That Cold Day in the Park</i> 1969 film by Robert Altman

That Cold Day in the Park is a 1969 psychological drama thriller film directed by Robert Altman and starring Sandy Dennis. Based on the novel of the same name by Richard Miles and adapted for the screen by Gillian Freeman, it was filmed on location in Vancouver, British Columbia, where the events occur. The supporting cast includes Michael Burns, Luana Anders, John Garfield Jr., and Michael Murphy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive Tell</span> American actress

Olive Tell was a stage and screen actress from New York City.

Johannes Roberts is a British filmmaker who directed the horror films The Other Side of the Door, 47 Meters Down and its sequel, The Strangers: Prey at Night, and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.

<i>Livid</i> (film) 2011 French film

Livid is a 2011 French supernatural horror film written and directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo. It is their follow-up to the horror film Inside.

<i>Mama</i> (2013 film) 2013 supernatural horror film by Andy Muschietti

Mama is a 2013 supernatural horror film directed and co-written by Andy Muschietti in his directorial debut and based on his 2008 Argentine short film Mamá. The film stars Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nélisse, Daniel Kash, and Javier Botet as the title character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welcome to the Tombs</span> 16th episode of the 3rd season of The Walking Dead

"Welcome to the Tombs" is the sixteenth and final episode of the third season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 31, 2013. In the episode, The Governor and Rick Grimes prepare for the upcoming assault on the prison. Tyreese and Sasha decide to not participate in the assault and stay on guard duty before preparing to leave, as the citizens of Woodbury become increasingly alarmed at The Governor's erratic behaviour. Meanwhile, Andrea struggles to escape The Governor's torture chamber.

<i>A Madea Christmas</i> (film) 2013 American Christmas comedy film

A Madea Christmas is a 2013 American Christmas comedy film directed, written, produced by and starring Tyler Perry with the rest of the cast consisting of Kathy Najimy, Chad Michael Murray, Anna Maria Horsford, Tika Sumpter, Eric Lively, JR Lemon, Alicia Witt, Lisa Whelchel, and Larry the Cable Guy. This is the first Christmas-themed film from the writer-director as it tells the story of Madea going to the fictional town of Bucktussle, Alabama with her great-niece to spend Christmas with the great-niece's daughter as financial trouble involving a newly-constructed dam threatens the town. This is the seventeenth film by Perry, and the eighth film in the Madea cinematic universe. The film was released on December 13, 2013 by Lionsgate.

<i>Pay the Ghost</i> 2015 film by Uli Edel

Pay the Ghost is a 2015 American supernatural horror film directed by Uli Edel. The screenplay was written by Dan Kay, based on a short story of the same name by Tim Lebbon. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Veronica Ferres. The film was released on September 25, 2015, by RLJ Entertainment.

<i>Magical Girl</i> (film) 2014 film by Carlos Vermut

Magical Girl is a 2014 neo-noir film written and directed by Carlos Vermut, and starring Bárbara Lennie, Luis Bermejo and José Sacristán. The plot tracks the events triggered by the decision of a father (Bermejo) to fulfill the secret wish of his dying 12-year-old otaku daughter (Pollán).

<i>Kanchana 3</i> 2019 film by Raghava Lawrence

Kanchana 3 is a 2019 Indian Tamil language action-comedy horror film co-produced, written and directed by Raghava Lawrence. The film stars Raghava Lawrence in a dual role with Oviya, Vedhika, Nikki Tamboli and Ri Djavi Alexandra. While Kovai Sarala, Soori, Tarun Arora, and Kabir Duhan Singh play supporting roles. Produced by Sun Pictures, the fourth installment in the Muni , the film began production during October 2018 and released on 19 April 2019. Later, the film was dubbed in Hindi as K3: Kaali Ka Karishma.

<i>Anguish</i> (2015 film) 2015 American film

Anguish is a 2015 American horror film written and directed by Sonny Mallhi. It marks his directorial debut. The film had its world premiere on July 21, 2015 at the Fantasia International Film Festival and stars Ryan Simpkins as a young woman whose mental issues may be a result of the paranormal.

<i>Southbound</i> (2015 film) 2015 horror anthology film

Southbound is a 2015 American horror anthology film directed by Radio Silence, Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, and Patrick Horvath. Produced by Brad Miska and Roxanne Benjamin, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2015, and was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on February 5, 2016. The film was included on numerous Best Horror Films of 2016 lists including those by Rolling Stone, BuzzFeed and the Thrillist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javier Botet</span> Spanish actor (born 1977)

Javier Botet López is a Spanish actor. Often cast in creature roles, he portrayed Tristana Medeiros in the REC franchise (2007–2009), the title character in Mama (2013), Set in The Mummy (2017), Slender Man in the 2018 film of the same name, and Dracula in The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023). His appearances in horror films also include Crimson Peak (2015), The Conjuring 2 (2016), It (2017) and its 2019 sequel, Insidious: The Last Key (2018), and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019).

<i>Insidious: The Last Key</i> 2018 film by Adam Robitel

Insidious: The Last Key is a 2018 American supernatural horror film directed by Adam Robitel and written by Leigh Whannell. It is produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli, and James Wan. It is the fourth installment in the Insidious franchise, and the second in the chronology of the story running through the series. Starring Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Whannell, Spencer Locke, Caitlin Gerard, and Bruce Davison, the film follows parapsychologist Elise Rainier as she investigates a haunting in her childhood home. The film is the sequel to Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) and the second prequel to Insidious (2010) and Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013).

<i>XX</i> (film) 2017 horror anthology film

XX is a 2017 American horror anthology film directed by Jovanka Vuckovic, Annie Clark, Roxanne Benjamin, and Karyn Kusama. It stars Natalie Brown, Melanie Lynskey, Breeda Wool, and Christina Kirk. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2017, and was released in the United States in select theaters and through video on demand on February 17, 2017, by Magnet Releasing.

Don't Knock Twice is a 2016 British supernatural horror film directed by Caradog W. James.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sofia Rosinsky</span> American actor

Sofia Rosinsky is an American actress, who began her career as a child actress.

References

  1. ↑ "The Other Side of the Door (15)". British Board of Film Classification . 20 November 2015. Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Han, Angie (24 November 2015). "Fox Finally Gets Around To Pulling 'Fantastic Four 2' Off Its Release Calendar". Slashfilm.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  3. ↑ Billington, Alex (25 November 2015). "Sarah Wayne Callies in Trailer for Horror 'The Other Side of the Door'". FirstShowing.net. Archived from the original on 29 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Watch An Exclusive Trailer for The Other Side of The Door". Conversationsabouther.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "The Other Side of the Door (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes.com . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  6. ↑ "The Other Side of the Door". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  7. ↑ Holub, Christian. "'The Other Side of the Door': EW review". Entertainment Weekly.com. Christian Holub. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  8. ↑ "The Other Side of the Door reviews". The SciFi Movie Page. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  9. ↑ Huddleston, Tom (1 March 2016). "The Other Side of the Door". Time Out London. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  10. ↑ Berkshire, Geoff (24 February 2016). "Film Review: 'The Other Side of the Door'". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 17 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.