Lights Out

It wasn't until I checked the credits that I realized this was based off of the short film by David F. Sandberg. I knew the lights off/lights on shadow figure thing seemed familiar. While I really loved the short film, I don't necessarily agree that it needed the full length treatment. I feel like we see this a lot - capitalize off some popular internet thing that, when extended, loses some of what made it special in the first place. The short film was unsettling and creepy as it was; giving it a back story and more detail made it feel cheapened. I'm not a huge fan of "BOO!" gotcha horror movies, though; I come from a generation that was raised on the original Halloween and, for me, that is the apex of subtle, creepy, slow burn etc - everything that makes one get enveloped in a movie. When there are two many jump-atchas, it is jarring and does not make for high replay value (for me, anyway). I thought the mental asylum backstory was so played out; I feel like maybe that trope should be burned alive. We get it. Although that's kind of how I also feel about kids being creepy (or "troubled"), too. There's just so little variation in horror these days. Not all bad, though - I feel like the choice of Teresa Palmer as Maria Bello (Sophie)'s character's daughter was a fantastic choice. I not only enjoyed her performance but I feel she looks the part; she looks like a younger version of her.

This movie will get your pulse up fast, revealing the "horror" very early on. Interestingly enough, it keeps that pulse up throughout the movie despite of this. The concept of something that can only appear and be seen if it's dark (and with a somewhat supernatural ability to destroy light bulbs) is bound to lead to a jump scare or ten whenever it appears. Towards the end you've almost gotten so used to it that the scare effect wears off a bit, and is one of two reason I don't rank this a 10. But thanks to a good story and good actors, the movie still holds its ground to the very end.

The characters are really good, well written and performed, and with a young boy that if not before, totally kick started his future acting career with this movie. Who doesn't love a young prodigy? The plot has some weight and emotion to it, and with a solid ending that wraps things up in a much more satisfying way than most similar movies.

The other small drawback with this movie for me was mostly because of slightly unrealistic behavior from our main characters, occasionally. Like when miss heels from Jurrasic World is worried that when she releases T-Rex it won't be able to follow her if she runs. So, she waits for it to come close, walks for a bit, then runs. Those kinds of unrealistic behaviors. But I've seen much worse, and this movie doesn't take the "unrealistic" very far, or often, so I suggest you just put this on and roll with it!

All in all you get everything you want from a jump scare movie with Lights Out, with a good plot and good actors that deliver, and a scare factor we all can relate to. You might not be so happy with turning of your lights going to bed later that night, so if you have a weak stomach you might wanna sit this one out.

Martin is a little boy hounded by a monster in the dark. His dad (Billy Burke) is killed by a woman in the dark. His mother (Maria Bello) seems to be talking to that mysterious being called Diana. Children's Services calls in his step-sister Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) who has commitment issues unwilling to even let Bret keep one sock at her place. Rebecca takes Martin to her home upon seeing her mother in dire mental state.

The visual concept of a lurker in the dark is quite compelling. The movie could have done more with a slower burn. It does a big kill right at the beginning which leaves the shock of discovery less overwhelming. It becomes the same move over and over again. It's a great move but it would work so much better with a gradual ramp up. The mother's madness is intriguing. A little more thought could be used to maximize the story.

If you want to make it in Hollywood's horror industry nowadays, you have to make a scarily good short movie with one terrific idea and a handful of spooky images, and then simply hope that it'll go viral on the internet. If it works, influential producers will undoubtedly offer you a big sum of money to turn the short into a full-feature film and, with a bit of luck, your career is launched. It worked for Andy Muschietti with "Mama", and now he's helming the massively popular "It" remakes. It even worked for James Wan in 2003 already, with "Saw", and he's now so successful that he can act as influential producer to launch the careers of new arrivals, like he did for David F. Sandberg and his splendid "Lights Out".

I'm honestly happy to state that "Lights Out" is - at least in my own personal and humble opinion - the first mainstream horror movie in a very long time that is truly good and genuinely frightening. As cliched as it might sound, "Lights Out" is the type of fresh new film that restores hope and faith in in the horror genre for old and narrowly cynical fans like myself. The story is simple but highly effective, the lead characters are sympathetic and identifiable for a change, and the special effects (or even the lack thereof) definitely rank the most unnerving ones of the decade. Yes, it's another tale of an eerie ghost terrorizing a poor family, and admittedly several of the jump-scare moments are foreseeable, but the Diana character is authentically nightmarish and for me it was quite exceptional that I hoped for all these likable lead characters to survive instead of to die a quick & painfully.

This is the full length film that all horror fans waiting for after watch short movie at YouTube.

Great storyline and great acting from al cast.

The atmosphere is there and wayyy to many jump scare plot.

In the film, a young woman must confront her childhood fears to protect her brother from a vengeful supernatural entity holding a mysterious attachment to their mother.

In a textile factory during closing hours, an employee named Esther encounters a silhouette of a strange woman with claw-like hands when the lights are off, but cannot see it when the lights are on. After she leaves, her boss Paul encounters the woman and tries to run away, but he is killed.

You guys need to watch this.

After the short film's success, Sandberg announced a film adaptation based on his short film.

Really recommended. Enjoy and entertaining movie.