Horror movies that start off with the snow falling and the camera panning around people working especially those workers that work in the logging business cause that means they have to be in the woods cutting down and shredding the trees around them. This could lead to anything in a horror movie. A pissed off animal seeking revenge cause the crew accidentally killed one of their kind, a centuries old curse that was long forgotten only to be disturbed and brought back onto this world or just simply your run of the mill slasher film. But with Dark was the Night we are given something different which in itself can be good and bad in the same sentence cause let's face it in today's horror society its not horror anymore cause it just seems the scares have died off to become cheap pops and then back to the boring old let's run around shooting everything around us.
Dark Was The Night follows the town sheriff Paul Shields (Kevin Durand) as he patrols the streets of his generic and not so colorful small town that's just become the unlucky victim itself to a monster that's hungry for flesh. Side by side with his trusty and former New York cop Donny Saunders (Lucas Haas), the two are forced to believe in the unnatural as they watch as family pets, animals and towns folks start disappearing. Durand's character is plagued by a tragic incident in the film that took the life of one of his children and at the cost of that incident has alienated his wife because of his own grief. But its the fact that he must protect his family and town from the oncoming terror that plagues them all at night that has him gearing up for a head to head encounter with the creature of the film. All leading to a climatic fight that ends with happy ending only to be given that Shyamalan twist at the very end. Not really a shocking twist but more of a well they're really screwed now ending.
Director of this film Jack Heller proves with this film that he can easily make a decent horror flick without having to show the monster in the film til the near end. Because lets face it most of these films today they want to throw it in your face and try to have you scared the get go. No, the atmospheric feel of this film alone has you sitting on the edge of your seat because lets face it nothing is more scarier than what's hiding in the dark or lurking in the tree's right before your eyes and you can't see it. You have that feeling something is staring back at you and all you can do is fight with yourself as to whether or not there is something right there in front of you staring back. I for one enjoyed this film, though the creature itself could've been a little more better and less cgi'd. I found this movie to be a nice little breath into the horror world, especially for the fact that it was a monster movie and not some supernatural, ghost adventure in the woods.
Like I said, Dark Was the Night builds itself up for its eventual climatic show down inside the walls of a church and delivers on the fact that there is really no true hope for these people. I for one wish they went a little longer with this movie just to give me some closure as to what is really going to happen. I doubt there will be a sequel or prequel of sorts for this film because I don't think they were ever intending on doing that with this film. If your truly a monster movie fan and you don't care what it looks like then this film is exactly what you're looking for to eat up that weekend night alone or a movie night with your friends. It's not exactly a date night film because its not going to have your girl jumping into your arms but will probably cause her to toss that bowl of popcorn into your face. But I will praise this film not based on anything more than this film is decent and will probably fly under the radar for most horror fans. As for Kevin Durand, we see the guy every week during the Strain and there's no one better than playing a grieving sheriff than him so I applaud him.
reviewed by Bucky
No comments:
Post a Comment