A Hora da Escuridão

While maybe not much better than what the ratings and reviews say, at the very least 'The Darkest Hour' has the fun factor going for it. There is not much for a plot: your typical alien invasion, where a group of survivors have to try and survive the attack while in Moscow.

Wait, Moscow?

One of the things I liked here was that there IS originality. Instead of another American city, or even Tokyo/London, this time around we watch Moscow under attack. Instead of having to see the characters running and hiding around the same New York for the nth time, we are presented an 'unknown' scenario that has a lot of charm going for it.

Another plus is the aliens themselves. Not your typical armor-wearing soldiers or 'greys', but in here they have a very original design (bodyless masses of light). It is sad to hear the clichèd excuse for their invasion, but they are very interesting to see.

Despite these flairs of originality, overall the film suffers from the typical B-movie sci-fi problems. The blandness of the cast and some logic-defying situations/developments (every Russian they meet speak perfect English, for example) are downsides, but the straight-forward plot, lack of an overly pretentious message and non-boring development more than compensate.

Overall, this is far from a great film but it is a fun straight-forward B-movie with some welcome flashes of originality. It more than succeeds on entertaining, as long as you don't over-blow your expectations.

The idea behind the darkest hour was original. It is nice to finally see something that hasn't been recycled from another movie, game, book, etc. That being said the main problems in the movie come from a rather dull open story. It leaves you with many unanswered questions. There are also many flaws in different aspects of the movie. Being an avid movie goer I give this a 6 out of 10 because of the original idea. But it could have been way better had they developed script better. The other flaw was the lack of graphics. They clearly spent very little on special effects. I feel that this should have been a TV movie. Not something to go see in the theater.

In a world of mostly straight to video lower budget scifi movies or the hit and miss affairs of Sci-Fi original movies, The Darkest Hour was a real joy.

The ghost-like concept of the invaders was well conceived. Adding tension in droves, much like the original alien movie, with the what you can't see lets your mind be more creative. The lack of need for constant CGI of the aliens seemed to allow more budget and creativity on the other more subtle effects, creating a much more believable world. The floor of light bulbs effects, used similarly to the motion detectors in the Aliens movie, was cool.

It seems the film critics have again missed the point and glories of this movie. What they seemed to punish for I personally found to be the movies greatest achievements. Efficient, well conceived plot to me, seen as lacking to the critics. The not trying to save the whole world, ala Independence Day, but focusing on rag tag group of unprepared survivors worked, as it does in AMC's series The Walking Dead. The restrained use of 3D, meaning few objects flying out the screen or visual overdose leading to headache like the latest Transformers movie. The 3D effects added significantly to the sites of Moscow, giving a true sense of the size of Red Square and hence the immersion a 3D movie should give.

The Darkest Hour. Solid entertainment and great way to see Moscow without a 12hr flight. Ignore the critics and make up your own mind.

This is a B-grade movie and you should go in expecting one. Certainly, it won't win over many critics. Still, there are some thrills in this apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. Even though, it leaves a middling aftertaste. Thankfully, it runs at a lean 89 minutes and doesn't waste too much time in exposition, which are sometimes cringe-worthy. For me, it does throw in a few interesting ideas, which prevent it from being just another cookie-cutter entry in the increasingly stale genre.

First, the aliens. Instead of taking on the snarly form we've seen in countless films, they are invisible to the human eye and exist in the form of microwave energy. The only way they can be detected is when they pass through an object powered by electricity. And they kill humans by turning them into ashes. Because the aliens can't be seen, the killings are unpredictable.

Second, I like the idea of transposing the American protagonists and the apocalypse to a foreign city, Moscow, instead of the trite New York City or Los Angeles. The stereotypes of Russian culture are played for laughs, though most of the jokes come across flat. However, you get to relish the many famous sights and landmarks such as The Red Square, in ruins.

In terms of characters, most of them are disposable. Even the leads, Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby and Max Minghella come across as likable at best, but not memorable. It doesn't help that they are given lame one-liners. I wish they had given the eccentric Russian electrician and his cacophony of gadgets more screen time.

The Darkest Hour has a great setup. Pity the makers didn't have the balls to strive beyond formula. Even if the ending sets it up for a sequel, I reckon its box office performance will convince the studio they need one.

This was a bit of fun to watch, nothing special, like an above average sci-fi channel flick, but fun to watch nonetheless. Hasn't been a box office hit or getting much in the way of good reviews, but if basic alien invasion is your cup of tea, you will probably enjoy it too. I liked the aliens, not your usual lot, and the Moscow sets. The cast gave decent performances as well. I would have liked to see more of the invaders and would have liked a few more battle scenes, and could have enjoyed it just as well without the 3D effects. All things considered, I will add it to my collection when it's available on disc. Catch this during a matinée if you must, but you'll probably like it a whole lot more on a theater's big screen than waiting for HBO.