[Review] 'The Turning' Is Haunted By An Unsatisfying Ending

In a month that is often considered a “dump month” in the film community, there have already been two January horror films that have received a rare F CinemaScore. One of those is the remake of The Grudge, and the other is Floria Sigismondi’s The Turning. If you’ve seen any of the films that have received F CinemaScores, you might deduce that one possible reason for an F rating could be an abrupt, confusing, or cheap ending. The Turning certainly falls into this bucket, and it’s received a lot of bad press as a result. But if something ends poorly, do we completely devalue all that came before? Should an ending dictate how we evaluate the entire product? Maybe it depends on the film.

The Turning is an adaptation of the 1898 novella The Turning of the Screw by Henry James. This isn’t the first film adaptation of James’s novella, the most notable of which is The Innocents from 1961. The film follows a teacher named Kate (Mackenzie Davis) who is hired to be a governess for an orphaned little girl at a remote mansion. Everything about Kate’s new gig is a bit unsettling, from the seemingly anachronistic and rigid housemaid to the disrespectful and downright creepy older brother Miles (Finn Wolfhard). 

Director Floria Sisismondi definitely understands how to create a creepy atmosphere, and she succeeds at the gothic, haunted house vibes that make a movie like this truly effective. A great combination of jump scares, genuine dread, and empathy for Mackenzie Davis’s character make for a compelling first and second act. As we approach the third act, tensions are rising, and it’s starting to become clear what’s really going on with this tragedy-plagued household. Or is it? 

As the movie seems to be about ready to put the cherry on top of a perfectly competent PG-13 chiller, it completely pulls the rug out from under itself. I hesitate to give away too many details about the film’s conclusion, but it’s frustrating in a number of ways. The movie feels like it’s churning away towards one ending and then takes a hard turn to something else entirely. This wouldn’t necessarily have been a bad thing, but the way it’s done gives the impression that there was another 5-10 minutes of the film’s conclusion that somehow got lost on the cutting room floor.

This brings me back to the question of whether or not the ending can ruin the entire movie. Often times it can - especially in a very plot-driven film with a lot of ins and outs. But The Turning is not that kind of movie. It’s a popcorn frightfest grounded by convincing performances. One could even make a case that the film’s focus is more on character than plot. And due to some solid acting by Mackenzie Davis, it’s not hard to put yourself in Kate’s shoes or find yourself mumbling at her to just get the Hell out of there. So despite an ending that really took the wind out of this movie’s sails, I can’t say I didn’t have a good time. 

If you’re mentally prepared for a jarring, head-scratcher of an ending, The Turning really isn’t a bad way to spend an hour and a half.

- Brian Bisesi

Tags: Haunted House