Straight Into Darkness

Andrei Dumitrescu is exceptional. Vote Basescu!!!

It's good to see there are still some filmmakers out there who push their craft beyond some tired formula. Despite a low budget (which shows at times) this film is obviously a labor of love for the director and the cast. The scenes involving the children are superbly handled and director Jeff Burr deserves enormous credit for their effectiveness. I love war films and this one works on that level, but it can't be pigeon holed as just another war movie. There's a lot going on and sometimes the filmmakers' reach exceeds their grasp, but more often the movie is very, very effective. This movie will have you talking

I recently saw a special screening of "Straight Into Darkness" at the Italian Institute of Culture as part of the "Best of the Milan Film Festival" series. The title is very appropriate -- disturbing and thought provoking, the film takes the audience straight into the darkness, violence and brutality of war. The actors are terrific, most notably Scott MacDonald as Deming. The character's base, savage "survival at any cost" mentality is terrifyingly portrayed by Mr. MacDonald. I was so involved in the story that I was ashamed of Deming being an American. I have seen many films set in World War II, but none has ever affected me quite like "Straight Into Darkness."

This movie is about two American deserters in WWII. Apparently they were court-marshaled for an accident involving a flame-thrower, but not too much is revealed about that, with the exception of the same flash-back annoyingly popping up every 10mins. As they travel the European countryside, not very much interesting happens to them. The two actors are your typical unknown amateur actors who sound like they are reading their lines rather than speaking them. And when the reach a strange orphanage, the story gets weirder before it gets any good.

I thought the direction really wasn't that good, with the exception of the action sequences, which were up to the standard of any other good action director. But the rest left something to be desired. Some movies with small budgets can sometimes pull of really great things, and you are surprised to find out that it was a small budget. This one doesn't and reeks of a B-movie all over it.

If you really love war movies and are desperate for another one, check this one out, I am sure you won't be too disappointed. But the rest of you can pass on this one, you won't be missing much.

This movie is such a mesmerizing and impressive experience that you won't regret to do. Beautifully shot on Romania with strong acting by a cast that includes Ryan Francis, Scott McDonald (JACK FROST!), Linda Thorson and David Warner. Probably, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS is Jeff Burr's masterpiece. It have flaws, like some obvious dubbing for the German characters, played by romanian actors. But none of them diminishes the valour of this great movie, that also benefits from a original and powerful script, not to mention the haunting, beautiful musical score.

STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS have a sincere, thought provoking anti-war message and manages to be more than just a movie. Knowing that the kids casted on it were real life orphans only made the experience more human and emotional. War and general movie fans, be sure to don't miss!

Into the Darkness is about two deserters during world war two who escape their MPs and stumble upon a group of French resistance fighters consisting of two teachers and a hand full of special children. The kids all live in an old defunct factory with a hidden treasure. At first the GIs are not welcome, for reasons that are obvious if you see the film. They fight off a common enemy, some Nazis that come to the factory to get the treasure at the end of the war. The children and the GIs have no idea that the war is actually over. Lots of fighting and some flashbacks help explain some of the characters past. The story is entertaining and tragic all at the same time. Not as graphic as it could have been, the characters were all believable through strong acting and good direction. Not for the squeamish.