Reviews: The Turning (2020) Movie Review
Genres: Horror, Drama, Mystery
Subgenres: Possession, Psychological, Thriller, Confined, Dysfunctional Family, Madness, Teens
Our review of The Turning (2020) dives into the story, the scares, and whether it truly delivers the horror fans crave.
The Turning is a modern adaptation of Henry James’ classic novella The Turn of the Screw, following Kate Mandell (Mackenzie Davis), a young governess hired to care for two orphaned children, Flora (Brooklynn Prince) and Miles (Finn Wolfhard), in an isolated mansion. As Kate settles into her role, she begins experiencing eerie disturbances and unsettling behavior from the children, leading her to believe that the estate is haunted.
The Turning (2020) – A Gothic Horror That Fails to Deliver
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
The film attempts to explore themes of psychological horror, trauma, and supernatural dread, but lacks a clear direction. Instead of building genuine suspense, it relies on vague storytelling and underdeveloped character arcs. While Mackenzie Davis gives a solid performance, Kate’s character lacks depth, making it difficult to connect with her emotional unraveling. Finn Wolfhard and Brooklynn Prince do their best with the material, but the film fails to utilize their talents effectively.
Acting and Cinematography
Mackenzie Davis delivers a strong performance as Kate, capturing her descent into paranoia, but the script fails to support her character’s development. Finn Wolfhard brings an unsettling presence to Miles, though his character’s motivations remain unclear, making his role feel more confusing than terrifying. Brooklynn Prince is convincingly innocent yet eerie as Flora, but the film doesn’t give her enough screen time to develop her role meaningfully.
Visually, The Turning boasts gothic horror aesthetics, with its eerie mansion setting and shadow-filled cinematography. However, the horror elements feel generic, with overused jump scares and a reliance on creepy children tropes rather than genuine psychological tension.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Director Floria Sigismondi attempts to create a slow-burn horror experience, but the film’s pacing and narrative structure work against it. The disjointed storytelling and lack of cohesion make it difficult to understand whether the horror is supernatural or psychological. The biggest downfall is the ending, which is abrupt, incoherent, and unsatisfying, leaving viewers confused rather than scared.
While The Turning has moments of atmospheric tension, it ultimately fails to provide a compelling or satisfying horror experience.
Final Verdict & Score: 3/10
Despite its strong cast and gothic atmosphere, The Turningfails to deliver a coherent or effective horror film. The weak storytelling, confusing ending, and reliance on tired horror clichés make it one of the most frustrating horror adaptations in recent memory.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- The Turning Rating Scores
- Our Score: 3/10
- Overall Score: 2.91/10
- IMDB: 3.9/10
- MetaCritic: 3.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 1.2/10
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