The script by T.J. Cimfel & David White has a wise set-up—two {couples} go on a tenting journey collectively to drink, possibly get somewhat excessive, and depart their issues at residence. In fact, that final half is the toughest, and Ellie (Amanda Crew) and Thomas (Carlos Santos) have introduced some marital stress with them. Ellie reveals to her pal Margaret (Alisha Wainwright) that she not too long ago had a foursome with one other couple, and, properly, it did not go as deliberate. To assist the couple resolve their points, Margaret and Ben (Zach Gilford) agree to look at their mates’ youngsters, Lucy (Briella Guiza) and Spencer (David Mattle), for the night time. Possibly it would assist push them to have youngsters themselves? They have been dragging their toes in that space, partly due to psychological points that Ben has not too long ago fought. When are you really able to have youngsters? Nobody is ever 100%. And Cimfel & White use that widespread nervousness as a place to begin, however the script would not take sufficient benefit of it, turning it into one thing extra predictable than it might have.
After a half-hour of largely character-driven set-up, issues get bizarre when Margaret and Ben get up to search out the children lacking. The day earlier than, the whole crew had discovered an outdated constructing with a large gap in it that appeared to draw the youngsters. Ben presumes they went to research it once more and races there, solely to search out them on its edge. He watches them bounce in, absolutely to their demise. If that is not traumatizing sufficient, he returns to the cabins to search out Lucy & Spencer operating round like nothing is fallacious. Solely Ben is aware of one thing may be very fallacious.
It is a sharp premise for a horror film, and the midsection of “There’s One thing Unsuitable with the Kids” is properly completed in the way it performs with notion. In fact, nobody would consider Ben’s story that the children aren’t what they seem like. And Guiza and Mattle are enjoyable on this act as they play video games with Ben’s thoughts, sending him over a psychological edge. Nevertheless, even right here, it looks like Benjamin and the writers aren’t residing as much as the potential of their first act, and never simply because the tasteless Gilford would not appear to be as much as the problem of a task that ought to shortly dial as much as unhinged. We must be allowed to simmer in Ben’s predicament, questioning what we might do in that scenario and the way it will deteriorate our grip on actuality.
