I’m genuinely stunned. The Turning faced a lot of behind-the-scenes turmoil, with numerous changes to the director (Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was initially slated to direct), cast, and producers—Steven Spielberg had even been involved at one point. As another adaptation of Henry James's classic ghost story, Turn of the Screw, it presented an immediate challenge: creating a horror film that felt fresh and distinct from previous versions. Despite all the shifts in production, Mackenzie Davis was ultimately chosen to play the adult lead, alongside Finn Wolfhard and Brooklynn Prince as the children. It seems everything and everyone got swapped out, except for the screenwriters—the primary reason this movie falls so flat. With all due respect to the Hayes brothers, this is a truly terrible film. There’s not a single positive thing to say about it; it's essentially about... nothing at all! It lacks any discernible message, purpose, or structure, and most significantly: there's no ending. I’m serious—The Turning simply doesn’t have an ending. It feels as though someone abruptly yelled "cut" long before a resolution could be reached. The entire film is comprised of repetitive, lifeless scenes that only differ in location. The jump scares are predictable and devoid of any real impact, strung throughout the runtime with no underlying meaning. Nearly ninety minutes build to absolutely nothing. This isn’t one of those situations where an ending is intentionally ambiguous, allowing for multiple interpretations. It's hard to believe, but this monotonous, cliché-ridden, boring horror movie doesn’t have a conclusion. I need to reiterate that so you actually believe what I’m telling you. Even if I were to disregard the missing final act, the rest of the film remains deeply flawed. As an audience member, being more aware than the main character about unfolding events is almost always a frustrating experience in horror films. Beyond the absence of a genuinely frightening or unsettling atmosphere, the story raises numerous logical questions that are never addressed. The movie actually starts out reasonably well; it initially drew me into Davis’s character, but it quickly became one of the most tedious experiences I've had this year. Typically, strong performances can help carry a film through difficult stretches. However, Mackenzie Davis (who I enjoyed in Terminator: Dark Fate) gradually becomes unengaging, and Finn Wolfhard delivers what might be his worst performance to date. Brooklynn Prince is fine for her age, but she's still just nine years old. Barbara Marten shines as Mrs. Grose, but like the film itself, her presence ultimately has no real consequence. Technically, the musical score feels odd and jarring; instead of enhancing the scary moments, it turns them into something resembling a rock concert. The editing also lacks consistency. Honestly, I thought Fantasy Island was an obvious contender for “Worst Movie of 2020,” but The Turning has now entered the competition. As nonsensical as the former might be, at least it concludes—albeit with a ridiculous ending. The latter not only fails to provide any payoff after ninety minutes of build-up, but it lacks any redeeming qualities whatsoever. Describing a film in a single word has never been easier: "nothing." It's a movie about nothing! No meaning, no message, no purpose, no logical sense. A profoundly boring journey through a mansion filled with predictable jump scares, an awkward score, and disappointing acting. It’s an emotionless story full of unanswered questions, and it is not one of those “open-ended narrative” cases. I certainly don't recommend it unless you actively want the frustration of watching something unfinished. Rating: F

Source on TMDB