Watch The Intended

The Intended is a 2002 historical drama film, set in the late 19th century in the sprawling jungles of Malaysia. The movie tells the story of a young woman, named Sarah Morris (played by Janet McTeer), who travels with her fiancé, William (JJ Feild), and his wealthy family to the Malaysian jungle to start a new life as rubber plantation owners.

When the party arrives, they meet an ageing Irishwoman, named Mrs Jones (Brenda Fricker), who had been living in the jungle for five years with her adopted son, Tull (Tony Maudsley), after her husband died. They decide to employ Mrs Jones and Tull to help them in the plantation as household and field workers.

As Sarah adjusts to her new life, she feels more and more alone as her interactions with William become increasingly distant. Meanwhile, Tull begins to show an unhealthy interest in Sarah, making her uncomfortable. Her growing fear for Tull's intentions are reinforced when she finds a human skull that suggests Jones' husband may have died under mysterious circumstances.

As the story unravels, the lines between the characters begin to blur, and horrific secrets are revealed. Sarah's longing for William gradually replaced by desires of her own, and Mr Jones's death slowly appears to hide a more sinister truth about the jungle than anyone could have foreseen.

The film has an eerie and slightly macabre portrayal of life in the jungle, with plenty of suspense to keep viewers on edge. The Intended shows the complications that come with the search for love, acceptance, and a sense of purpose in hostile environments. It also touches on how imperialism impacts both the colonizers and the colonized with a deft touch.

The movie is visually stunning, with the camera capturing the full might of the jungle, in all its bubbling, sultry, and dangerous glory. The cast is also superbly well-chosen, with McTeer and Fricker putting in strong performances. Their dynamic together highlights the contrasting views women could have had at the time: Sarah as the independent-thinking upper-class woman, and Mrs. Jones as a woman who has learned to live on the edges.

The Intended's themes of class, colonialism, and gender are woven together into a singular bittersweet storyline about a young woman attempting to carve out her own place in this difficult new world. The violent and unforgiving nature of the jungle serves as a fitting metaphor for the pitfalls and dangers of trying to force one's will on the lives and destinies of people who will do anything to hold on to what they have.

Overall, The Intended is a nuanced story of love and loss, obsession and betrayal set within a colonial context, deftly handled with an eye for both the beauty and the horror that the jungle entails. It's a quietly powerful film that will leave viewers unnerved and with much to consider.

The Intended is a 2002 thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8 and a MetaScore of 42.