Dark Was the Night

This is the kind of film you flick on at 12.30am when you really should be thinking about bed, but instead you find yourself sitting there wrapped up in the story telling yourself '5 more minutes...just 5 more minutes.'

There's very little original or inventive about this movie. On paper it's a decent horror-suspense the like of which you will have seen many times before. It's strengths are in the restrained, yet engaging pacing, but most especially the subtle but powerful performance of lead actor Kevin Durand.

Durand plays small town Sheriff Paul Shields, a man seemingly on the verge of a nervous breakdown after the tragic death of his son and the breakdown of his marriage to his wife Susan, played with depth and compassion by Bianca Kajlich. It is this human element to the story that elevates it beyond your typical creature-feature mystery-suspense.

The premise has been used countless times before, but rarely acted so adroitly. You really feel for Durand, he practically exudes pain in every scene without ever overstating the case. I always liked him as an actor, but after this performance I would rate him as a potential great. I sincerely hope that on the back of this performance he gets more sympathetic, serious roles away from the unhinged baddies he usually plays (albeit excellently).

I don't like to spoil the content of movies in my reviews, so I'll just conclude that this film is good but nothing special. It's well worth a watch for fans of horror and/or suspense, just don't expect a reinvention of the wheel, because you'll have seen most if not all of this before elsewhere.

A creature is terrorizing the small town of Maiden Woods. Animals are coming up missing, strange footprints and claw marks are everywhere. The town is unnerved and it's up to one stoic sheriff to keep everyone calm.

The movie is more of a drama with a horror story as the occasional distraction. What did that mean? It meant witnessing Sheriff Paul (Kevin Durand) deal with the loss of his son and the painful conversations he would have with his estranged wife--then a blur of a creature. In essence they were able to maintain the mysterious and ominous entity that was upsetting the town because it was almost secondary to Paul and his issues.

One could say it made the movie better and one could say it made it worse. For those looking for a scary drama, they got what they wanted. For those looking for a horror with little to no drama, they were somewhat disappointed. I, for one, was looking for a pure, unadulterated scary movie. The drama detracted from that, but because it was done well and they didn't make it too sappy and over-the-top I was able to satisfyingly watch it.

I'm very critical of horror movies. Few impress me because I think blood, guts & torture are not scary, just gross. I can watch the news for those. Give me atmosphere & suspense. Dark Was the Night had good atmosphere & great cinematography. I liked the "washed out, almost colorless" look of the film. Kevin Durand was really good. His emotional portrayal was totally believable. He's a very underrated actor. I also liked Lukas Haas' character's & his loyalty to the sheriff. I have to agree with other reviewers that the ending was ...not on par with the rest of the film. This was sad because of the strong acting. I would definitely watch anything else with Kevin Durand, as he greatly impressed me.

Predominantly set in chilly blue tint, Dark Was the Night has quaint and also eerie ambiance fitting for a mystery thriller. The wintry set-up is convincingly effective on creating a sense of isolation, which keeps the suspense going even though it slightly stumbles at midway point. It's troubled by relatively bland acting and repetitive developments at some points, yet it still looks and feels refined.

Several odd occurrences have happened in isolated town of Maiden Woods. The small town has small population and the anomalies understandably disturb its occupants. What may seem like a prank eventually escalates as the beastly sightings become more malicious. For a straightforward theme, it maintains the thrill well without straying too far into campy monster flick.

Its biggest asset is the cinematography. Visually the movie has just the appropriate outlook for mystery horror. Details of the town and its surrounding produce morbid effect on its own. However, it may take the title too seriously. A couple of scenes in night time look overly bleak and vague. Choppy editing and jittery camera unfortunately hamper some of the intense sequences.

Acting is also a bit imbalance. The sheriff looks ridden with guilt and anguish, while it may work with his sad backstory, the excessive lamentation proves to be tiresome in the long run. Several other cast deliver better performance, more emotionally involved than most horror movies have to offer. Yet, the subplots and monotonous investigation plod the pace significantly in second half before reaching its climax.

There are a few inconsistencies on the presentation, it's not overly innovative either, however the solid atmosphere is primed for mystery horror. It's polished cleverly, and will most likely please fans of the genre or audience looking for light thrill.

This was a very low key, engrossing horror tale wrapped up in four people's emotions. Kevin Durand's slow paced Sheriff's voice and deliberate actions make you slow down and process more clearly what's happening to this small town. Interesting elements I've seen in Stephen King movies, like all the animals and birds fleeing the area add to the spookiness and general disquiet you feel as the film progresses.

Lukas Haas as deputy Sheriff plays his part well, also as an ex-patriot from NYC. It is a paper thin degree from creepy and well played by all. I would give it an 8.5 if I could, but that dam ending. Why oh why, filmmakers?