Dark Country

not sure what to say about this feature film directorial debut of Thomas Jane who also stars,along with Laura German.it kinda had an Outer Limits vibe going.i liked how it looked,as in the lighting and the the good use of shadows.and the voice over narrative was pretty effective.the actual story itself was very simple and straightforward,and i could see what they were aiming for with the ending,but there's no way to get there without some impossible leaps of logic.but up to that point,it's entertaining.it's short at less than ninety minutes.so it's not like you're losing a big chunk of your life.you could do worse.for me,Dark Country is a 6/10

A newly married couple hits the road and drives through the desert from Las Vegas when they encounter a person who was just in an accident. They take him and try to find some help, but they get more than they bargained for and all hell breaks loose.

I was intrigued by this film from the trailer, not because of the story or the actors, but it was the visual flare that grabbed me. It was a film noir with a twilight zone twist and that was exactly what the film gives you. Dark Country is the directorial debut of Thomas Jane and with Dark Country he shows that he has some interesting concepts and talent to back it up, yet still needs time to hone those skills. Dark Country, while showcasing some impressive scenes, comes off as slightly amateurish at times.

The most evident is the green screen. Now, Jane has obviously chosen to make it noticeable that when they are in the car, that the scenery in the background was stylized to make it feel like a comic book. It works, but the problem lies in the production values that are evident in the cracks. Bits of the green screen are visible through our lead female characters hair and around their faces. This takes you out of the film and you realize that you're watching a film.

The second would be the audio. While Jane pays a lot of attention to the detail of the visuals, he seems to have let the audio slide a little bit. If a film has bad visuals, the audience can forgive you as long as the sound is good. If a film has bad audio, you are screwed. While the film doesn't have horrible audio, there are times that it feels like it was put together in a day. ADR is very evident and jolting.

I give the film some credit for the intrigue. I immediately wanted to listen to the audio commentary from Jane to see what his agenda was. I got some of the film, while other parts of it were lost on me. The film is without a doubt a Twilight Zone entry aided by the film noir and graphic novel aspects that Jane added. It's a genre piece that has a specific market. Jane knows what he is doing and comes off extremely prepared and knowledgeable. I just wish he would have taken a bit more time with this one and improved those little imperfections.

It's funny, during the film there were parts where I asked myself if Jane was trying to make a 3D film. Reading up on the film, much to my surprise it apparently was suppose to be a 3D film. Not only that, but Jane is apparently not happy with the final product. I can see his frustration because there is a lot here that could be good. Instead it feels as if it's an exercise. A project to see if Jane could actually direct.

Dark Country is a beautiful looking film that has a few problems, yet those few problems are jarring enough to make you upset with the final product.

Well, I am not sure what to think about this movie I had fun looking at it, Lauren German is more than gorgeous, the acting has no flaws, the pace is satisfying, characters are alive, normal, but the place where they are is not . The story is not that original, if you have some practice in mystery thrillers you have a fair chance to guess what is happening long before the end. Could be a remake of some old movie, a good remake anyway. What I liked most is the nice photography of the desert night. Did you ever feel out of space-time looking at a starred sky, undisturbed by city lights? Well, that is the case. As for the 3D, have fun.

The first thing you will notice about this movie is it's style. It takes a few minutes to get used to the pseudo-film noire feel and the interesting camera work. In the end you may feel as though you've been watching an episode of The Twilight Zone, or Tales From the Dark Side. Welcome this feeling- it is the only way to really embrace the computer enhanced darkness that fills this movie.

For the most part the acting is solid. Thomas Jane is pulling double duty as both lead actor and director, a difficult task for anyone (watch almost any Branagh film), and in this case it works. You can tell he feels very comfortable working with his surroundings, co-stars and cameras. Lauren German never really seems to find her stride in this movie but I'm willing to blame the writer for never making any very solid decisions as to her character. And Ron Perlman is just sort of there, being Ron Perlman. Which is fine, if you like Ron Perlman.

The music isn't the best but what was written for the movie works well within the movie. If the computer enhanced darkness and story don't throw you off, the music isn't going to be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

I have a soft spot for this kind of film- indie-esquire, first time director, interesting story with certain, almost inexplicable, twists that are almost nuanced into the shots. I like this movie, but it's probably not going to appeal to the masses. If you want a big budget scary movie with Thomas Jane and a satisfying ending that wraps up all events in the movie into a nice little explained bow, rent The Mist. If you want something a little more offbeat with a unique vision from a first time director, try Dark Country.

I TOTALLY agree with the fellow reviewer here who said that the movie kept reminding him of David Lynch; RIGHT ON mate!!! The VERY first thing that struck me while watching this, and I do mean RIGHT AWAY, literally within the first few minutes in the first scene with the photography of the motel, was the stunning DETAIL and effort that was clearly put into the look and visuals of this film!. WOW! That is precisely what I thought immediately... Just WOW!!! Each shot was like a well thought out composition. Just like Kubrick... I $h*t you not! And, that is just about the same time when I thought 'Ah..., Lynch!' That ALONE throughout the film was enough to set it apart and impress the living hell outta me! I mean, even setting aside the actual story... JUST the bloody look, style, and photography were enough to make me hafta change my pants...

That said... There are some rough edges, which Jane admits during the commentary that bothered him, either due to time or money constraints. I LOVE the understated stylized dialog and acting too. That is likely why many here do not like it. You HAVE to be one who appreciates and enjoys an understated, almost classic FILM NOIR approach to the dialog or you will just think it is stupid.

As you likely can tell by the polarized reviews, this movie really comes down to one's preference and taste. IF you like almost a comic book style and Surreal visuals and a heavy David Lynch-like mood, THEN you will probably very much like this film! But, if that kind of stuff doesn't really 'Do it' for you, then it is likely to leave you flatter than Chaz Bono...

One thing I kept thinking of as they showed the shots of the stars while they were driving, was that it REALLY reminded my of 1950's Science Fiction; which you COULD look at as kind of hokey... But if you dig it... it REALLY adds to the overall Surreal mood of the film.