O Vale Sombrio

Who would've thought that two of the best movies released in 2014 were westerns? After seeing My Sweet Pepper Land I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this modern western, a genre that normally doesn't appeal to me that much. The Austrian movie Das finstere Tal (aka. The Dark Valley) again pushes the boundaries of the western genre. Not the American frontier, but the Austrian Alps at the end of the 19th century are its setting. Aesthetically this is one of the most beautiful movies of the year, especially because of its winter landscapes in the Alps and the almost desaturated blue-grey color palette. Storywise it seems like something Tarantino could've made, if he got off the coke and took some tranquilizers: a story of vengeance and raw characters but with a slow burn effect. At the same time this movie strikes an emotional nerve and provokes a melancholic atmosphere by constantly maintaining a dreary and ominous effect. With its use of an anachronistic soundtrack it never gets too heavy though. This should've been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Seriously.

This Movie is exceptional German/Austrian Movie. Never saw a Western in this Setting. Sometimes it reminds me of The Great Silence from 1968. But there is something that destroys this incredible Film. The Songs of the Soundtrack are extremely rubbish. What was in Prochaskas Mind, when he choose these Songs? Sad. Great Atmosphere and fine acting, destroyed by a Soundtrack. However, I hope this is the beginning of a new Revival for the European Western. But this time they don't try to pretend that the stories are happening in the US. I can imagine a Western in the Black Forest, or in the flat, wide region of northern Germany, or a polish one.

The more "user reviews" I read on IMDb over the years, the more I am convinced that people post things without A) actually paying attention to the movie or B) A lick of forethought or critical thinking skills. The Dark Valley is a genre film, a revenge western set in the Alps instead of the Rockies. For anyone complaining that the main characters' motivations aren't talked about, did you watch the beginning? The opening scene explains it all in a matter of seconds. I mean come on you lazy viewers!! He only pulled out his pocket watch a half a dozen times to get the point across.

The Dark Valley is brilliant BECAUSE it doesn't treat viewers like the idiots that (obviously from these reviews) most of them are... There is no "I'm here to do THIS because of THAT" scene... It literally is not necessary if you just watch the movie. Sam Riley is great as The Stranger that so many have played in Westerns before, the plot is straight forward, the acting top notch, and the camera work is hauntingly beautiful. What else do you need from a Netflix gem?

And really? You didn't like the movie because of the song at the beginning? Sounds like something my teenage daughter would say... But seriously, it's an Austrian movie so OF COURSE it's going to have bad music. :) Too lazy to pay attention to nuance, but not too lazy to make asinine generalizations on the Internet.

To begin with, one should emphasize how great the cinematography was in this movie. Filled with the beautiful imagery of the Alps and an isolated town covered in snow along with the unique Western-Alp type of harsh reality, it truly amazes and captivates the viewer by the heart. The plot was smooth and gripping. Sam Riley, with all his western-style cowboy boots and spurs, was absolutely great in the movie, and he did his best at delivering a very solid performance of a very 'cool' stranger. For me he was a bit too cool, his character could surely be more interactive and talkative but nevertheless it was indubitably more than satisfying. He says that not talking to much, owing to the fact that his German is not that perfect, adds to the coolness of his Eastwood type of cowboy. I should say that some of the songs that are chosen for certain parts of the movie made movie look a bit strange for an Western-Alp flick, if such genre exists. Overall it was beautiful and thus definitely worth watching. If you are looking for something unique, just see this movie, you won't be disappointed.

Great! The "Western" genre works surprisingly well in the alpine setting. The slow pace of the movie fits the gritty mood perfectly. What starts off like a "Whodunit?" quickly turns into a vendetta as the underlying plot is slowly revealed. Visually the film is expertly done and on par with any triple-A Hollywood movie. The acting is top notch by the whole cast. Some critics have complained that the movie takes itself too seriously and lacks humor. I think this is completely missing the point: a movie called "The Dark Valley" is clearly not angled like a dark comedy. Furthermore, nineteenth century winter life in an isolated mountain town is anything but fun, lending credibility to the concise dialogue and harshness of expression of the characters. The immersion is great, the story works well and thus the movie is definitely a must see in my opinion.