Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- foreboding
- atmospheric
- late night horror
- haunted house movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film atmospheric and technically competent but derivative, over-reliant on familiar shocks, and lacking originality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Solomon family relocates to a dilapidated farmhouse in rural North Dakota, where the estate's past manifests through ghostly disturbances.
The family moves from Chicago after their son's hospitalization and their daughter's drunk-driving accident, making domestic repair part of the horror setup.
Ravens repeatedly appear around the farm alongside death threats and strange events, functioning as an ominous visual motif.
The family investigates whether the previous occupants left, died, or remain trapped in the property, turning its past into the central mystery.
Films like The Messengers, and why
The Grudge
Shared haunted house horror, supernatural family conflict, rural isolation, and escalating ghostly threats.
The Eye
Shared atmospheric ghost horror, a troubled family, child-centered supernatural menace, and revelations about past deaths.
The Amityville Horror
Shared isolated farmhouse setting, ominous rural history, family vulnerability, and conventional supernatural scares.
The Others
Shared haunted residence premise, young protagonist confronting spirits, and dark domestic supernatural horror.
Movie Details
- Directors
- Danny Pang, Oxide Pang
- Release Date
- 2007-02-02
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (895)
Cast
- Kristen Stewart
- Dylan McDermott
- Penelope Ann Miller
- John Corbett
- Dustin Milligan
- William B. Davis
- Evan Turner
- Theodore Turner
- Brent Briscoe
- Jodelle Ferland
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Messengers about?
- A troubled Chicago family encounters a deadly supernatural legacy after moving into an isolated North Dakota farmhouse.
- What is The Messengers like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Messengers as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Messengers violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Messengers as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Messengers?
- Critics broadly found the film atmospheric and technically competent but derivative, over-reliant on familiar shocks, and lacking originality.
- Which films are like The Messengers?
- Films with a similar feel include The Grudge, The Eye, The Amityville Horror, and The Others.
- How long is The Messengers?
- The Messengers runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Messengers?
- In United States, The Messengers streams on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.
