Les ténèbres

Too slow a pace almost ruins this study of human behavior in impossible situations. Not entertaining or flashy, this film will not appeal to those looking for a diversion or soap opera.

Technically it is a fine work and emotionally the payoff takes a little too much time for the layers of the story to unwind. Too bad because not many will stick around to ponder the mysteries this movie presents. Only thing is - where does the adult male find all those bottles of booze he drinks throughout?

This is a typical Spânish horror film in the line of IT COMES AT NIGHT, made the same year, and speaking of a very very close topic. I preferred the other one, but this movie from Spain is not bad either, and as any other horror film produced in this country, it presents kids or teens, but not in the same way as the made in US terror flicks. If you watch closely the Spanish features made since decades now, most of them show children, and this one makes no exception at all. I understand that it is not for all audiences because it needs to use some philosophical thoughts to fully get the message of the whole stuff; that I did not succeeded at. It is question of family and relationship between kids and their old man. Many links are available. Yes, it is too much complex to be accepted by most audiences. The Hollywood industry would have never made such a film, or in a different way.

I don't mind films with narratives that are a bit vague and can be left open to interpretation by the viewer, but there is a limit, and for me this film went way over that limit. It set up compelling mystery after compelling mystery in the first 2 acts then ended abruptly with no answers to any of them. When the film ended I felt cheated, it was like the filmmakers had no idea how to answer any of the mysteries their film had set up in the first 2 acts so decided to not even bother trying and instead introduced even more mysteries into the 3rd act that were left unanswered as well.

I can think of at least half a dozen plot threads in this film that were left unanswered, and I don't just mean left open to interpretation by the viewer, but unanswered. That's not fun, that's not artsy, that's just plain good old fashioned poor storytelling. It's a shame because the first 2 acts that set everything up were so good.

4/10

I'm not sure what reviewers who wrote "boring" or "nothing happens", were expecting, but this film was captivating. It is NOT in the genre of Marvel action films, so don't watch it if thats what you're hoping for. This film would best be described rather, as "understated", "beguiled". Definitely an artful thriller.

Nothing happens, don't waste your time watching this film. The whole argument could be reduced to 10-15 seconds.