Dark Was the Night

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e l Dec 1 This is a really good movie, super low key and cool. The characters are interesting and compelling. The plot is super simple and due to that it is very satisfying. The main characters are really great. The acting is very good. There are formulas but they are good formulas. You actually care about the characters. The monster was great until the end. The final monster was not as good as it was made out to be. It was kind of lizardy and not as scary as we have been imagining. But anyway, the movie is worth watching if you don't get upset when the real monster is not super scary. Also SPOILER ALERT: the ending where they show that there are two monsters could have been drawn out a little more. Anyway, good film! See more Judy P Sep 10 Creepy, atmospheric, great performances, pretty good creature. I liked it a lot. See more Allan C Aug 3 Well-drawn characters. Dull werewolf-like story. Dark Was the Night (2014) **1/2 I've been loving horror director Mike Finnegan's quote that the best horror movies are those where, if you took out all the supernatural elements, you'd still be interested in the story and characters (i.e., THE EXORCIST, CARRIE, ROSEMARY'S BABY, etc.). This film kind of does that, but the problem is that even if the characters are interesting, the fantastical elements are SO boring! Kevin Durand, an underrated and versatile actor who's done everything genre TV (LOST, LOCKE & KEY) to horror/comedy (TRAGEDY GIRLS) to supporting parts in big budget Hollywood flicks (WALKING TALL, X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, NOAH,) plays A sheriff dealing with familial and personal issues, and his deputy is adjusting to small town life after moving from NYC for reasons he doesn't like to talk about. Most all of the characters, even supporting ones, one of which is actor/writer Nick Damici (STAKE LAND, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE, COLD IN JULY), are interesting and well developed, which the audience will find compelling. This is the best part of the film, and if the film had focused more on that, it might have been an interesting character drama. What brings the film down is that the werewolf-like story is not all that interesting. There are a few okay suspense scenes, but most monster scenes feel lazy and uninspired. I was particularly put off by the photography, which has a perpetual blue tint and is often boring and flatly lit. Horror films should be stylishly photographed and shot, but this one hardly makes an effort to make the film visually interesting. And without spoiling anything, the ending had a cliched tag ending that was completely unnecessary, which I'm sure audiences will roll their eyes at. There was a lot of potential with this cast and script, but the execution drags everything good about the film down. FUN FACT: The film was based on the 1800s UK "The Devil's Footprints" incident, where mysterious hoof-like footprints appeared in the snow for two days in 1855 for 100 miles, appearing to pass through walls and over rooftops, marking a route in a perfect straight line.  AI CAPSULE REVIEW: Dark Was the Night features strong, well-developed characters and a solid cast—especially Kevin Durand—but the supernatural plot falls flat, failing to generate real suspense or originality. Despite its potential as a grounded character drama, the dull creature elements and uninspired visuals hold it back from being truly memorable. See more Nicholas D Jul 25 Nothing original.... The monster provides some suspense but there's far too much focus on the Sherrif's personal life which frankly becomes boring. A weak ending makes the experience ever more disappointing. See more Kronos B Jul 19 Dark Was the Night is a quietly atmospheric and brooding horror film that stands out for its strong sense of place, grounded performances, and a well-crafted build-up of suspense. Kevin Durand delivers a standout performance as Sheriff Paul Shields, a man grappling with personal loss while trying to hold his town together as an unseen menace begins picking people off from the shadows. His portrayal adds emotional depth to what could have easily been a by-the-numbers monster movie. The film excels in creating a tense, isolated atmosphere. Its muted color palette and rural setting heighten the feeling of unease, and the slow-burn pacing works well to draw viewers into the mystery of what’s stalking the woods. However, the film isn’t without its flaws. A key issue lies in the creature’s inconsistent behavior. It is shown to be cunning and predatory, yet it inexplicably chooses not to attack the police officer during a critical moment—something that felt more like a narrative convenience than a logical decision by the creature. This moment undercut the otherwise serious tone the film had worked to establish. The ending also leaves something to be desired. After a solid build-up, the film veers into a final act that feels abrupt and unsatisfying. The climactic confrontation lacks the emotional and narrative payoff that the film had been setting up, opting instead for a more conventional horror finale that doesn’t match the film’s earlier subtlety. That said, Dark Was the Night is still a worthy watch for fans of moody, character-driven horror. It may not stick the landing, but the journey—thanks in large part to Durand’s compelling performance and the film’s skillful tension—is still one worth taking. See more Chris F. @ChrisDaFish Jul 14 Dark Was the Night has a strong concept and a moody atmosphere, but it falls short when it comes to building real suspense. It was an okay watch overall—interesting, but not as tense or memorable as it could have been. See more Read all reviews

Dark Was the Night

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