The Dark Hours

The Dark Hours is one of those rare horror films that takes itself and its audience seriously. There is no black humour, no manic referencing of horror classics and no "someone-is-about-to-get-diced" eerie music. As a result, Paul Fox has succeeded where most American film directors have failed - in making a scary movie that is actually scary.

This film reminds me somewhat of Alexandre Aja's hugely over-hyped "Haute Tension". Both films contain violent home invasion scenarios, which are subsequently turned upside down by revelations about the sanity of the protagonists. In this case, the central character, Samantha, joins her husband and sister for a weekend in their remote cabin. Unfortunately, their stay is well and truly ruined by the appearance of Harlan; an ex-patient of Samantha's intent on revenge. As the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly ambiguous as to whether Harlan is real or a projection of Samantha's own psychosis. The reason why I find The Dark Hours superior to "Haute Tension" is that within this film's (albeit unlikely) parameters, the plot twist not only makes sense, it also serves to raise the suspense. Neither of which can be said for the events in Aja's film.

Gore hounds need not be concerned. This is not a lame "psychological" thriller. The Dark Hours contains a significant amount of gritty violence and one startling act of self-mutilation. The gore effects are uniformly well done and horror fans will enjoy several unexpectedly grim plot developments. The bloodshed is balance nicely by the terror of Harlan's games (his interpretation of "Truth or Dare" was a highlight) and the uncertainty about Samantha's own mental state.

The performances are generally very good. Kate Greenhouse is a revelation as Samantha. Hopefully she'll be leaving Canada for Hollywood in the not too distant future. Aidan Devine is another standout as Harlan. This actor has been under-appreciated for far too long. Harlan is yet another memorable character to add to his long list. The supporting cast is not as impressive. The actors who play Samantha's husband and sister are rather dismal. Their responses during the "Truth or Dare" game are unintentionally amusing, which was really quite a feat given the context. Paul Fox contributes to the film's success with his stylish direction, particularly his innovative use of sound effects and editing.

The Dark Hours leaves a number of questions unanswered. You do not have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find holes in the plot, even if they are neatly camouflaged by flashbacks and clever editing. Despite these faults, I enjoyed the film immensely. I just wish someone could tell me what that damn noise in the attic was meant to signify.

The Dark Hours is an unbelievably brisk psychological scary movie that packs a lot of thrills into it's 80 minute running time. Although it's not generally the type of horror movie I like, it requires the audience to think a bit about what is going on, something which I'd rather not do in movies like this) Dark Hours is great because the lead actress, Kate Greenhouse, is great as the doctor who gets more then she bargained for when she makes a surprise visit to her ex and her sister. An ex-patient of hers also pays a visit, and he decides they're going to play some mind games, just like he endured in the clinic which he came from. Only the games have slightly sinister overtones..

All the acting is very good here. What a pleasure to see Dov Tiefenbach again. Loved him in The Delicate Art of Parking, so it was quite a surprise to see him play something nastier in this movie. Again Greenhouse is great, and all the cast pull together to make this movie a dynamite sit through.

If you're a Horror fan such as myself, you must have noticed by now that this profound underrated genre has a few different types of films, other than having a few sub-genres. The Dark Hours, a Canadian production, is much like a combination between Funny Games (where two psychopathic killers take a family hostage and forces then to play sadistic games) and any film (take your pick) where the protagonist can't tell fantasy from reality due to a mental condition.

In some films, the effects of fear and unpleasantness are achieved by frightening and startling the spectators, often using cheap cheats like sudden loud music. Not such is the case in The Dark Hours. In this film, the audience is, in a way, tortured along with the characters.

Nothing makes a good Horror film great like some unexpected and surprising twists. In this film - what at first bothered me was the fact that the questions asked aren't fully answered. Meaning, the audience can't know for sure what really happened, and what didn't. Eventually, I realized that this feature was exactly what made this film what it is.

What's real? What really happened, and what happened only in the protagonist's imagination? Come the film's end - you'll be debating with your friends (or yourself), as the film provides "half-proofs" to support or disprove any theory.

Personally, I prefer it when the twists and endings of films do in fact answer all the the questions the original story plants in the spectators' minds, making us go "Ohhhhhh, now I get it!". Still, I really appreciate the M.O this film uses to invoke confusion and despair.

I do think tagging this film "sci-fi" is pretty inaccurate, but I guess this is a matter of personal interpretation like almost everything else about it.

All in all, The Dark Hours proved to be an original and mind-blowing film, taking the audience for a ride of questions and confusion. For me - that has really done the trick. Very highly recommended for any Horror fan who enjoys it when films successfully mess with their minds!

To anyone wanting to watch this film I have the following suggestions:- 1. Watch it with friends....you'll be debating the ending afterwards.

2. Don't expect glossy effects or graphics....this is a true psychological thriller.

3. Pay Attention....The more you put into this the more you'll get out of it.

4. Have an open mind to where the film leads you.

Frankly I have to say I think this is a little unknown gem. It was done on a shoestring budget and I suspect not many have heard of it...it deserves wider release.

To anyone on the crew or cast who may read this can I offer my compliments. Well and believably acted, good lighting, good cinematography, appropriate score, well written and a Director who has pulled it all together to produce a great tight crafted product.

Good job guys.....you made my weekend.

P

I'm writing a horror screenplay. Until I saw The Dark Hours, I thought it was pretty decent. But this movie turned everything I thought I knew about horror on its head and made even some of my very favorite horror flicks seem superficial by comparison.

It's not that it's particularly original -- Chris Nolan could almost be listed in the credits for the cue that Paul Fox picks up from Memento and Following. What makes it stand out? It's damn scary -- it gave me the same visceral feeling of horror formerly reserved for classics like Halloween and Psycho. But even then it's like comparing apples to oranges because it's just as much a psychological thriller as it is a horror film. The Dark Hours takes the best from psychological thrillers, so-called "slasher flicks" and the lamentably-popular genre of torture horror and mixes them up in such a way that it seems fresh and original.

The film features a cast of talented unknowns, which works in its favor because there are no big egos drawing one's attention away from the story itself (and trust me -- you'll NEED to be paying attention to get the full effect).

Lopped off two stars for some unnecessary gore. Although it wasn't as extreme as many horror films, it didn't really add anything of value to the film -- gore doesn't produce scares, just shock.