The Dark Hour

This is a great little movie, not perfect - the multiple threats are too improbable - but really atmospheric. The ending is a revelation, and makes a lot of sense given earlier details (though there remain unanswered, and probably unanswerable, questions).

I really enjoyed it, but it could be depressing and grim if you are not in the right frame of mind.

You will find absolutely no plot-info in this short comment/praise of director/writer Elio Quiroga's debut feature film. Because one of the cool things about LA HORA FRÍA is when you enter it, you have no idea what kind of movie this is. You think it might be some sort of post-apocalyptic drama, set in an underground facility. Pretty down-to-earth and believable. But as it progresses, you still don't have a clue what it's actually going to turn into. There's a re-occurring, strange supernatural phenomenon. A bit later it feels like you've just entered Romero's DAY OF THE DEAD vs. Cameron's ALIENS, so to speak (more in vibe than actual subject matter). And the real nature of this films pretty much continues to be a question mark right up until the final, fascinating revelation at the end. And don't worry, it's not some twist along the lines of "Oh, it's all not real after all...". A solid film that went beyond my expectations. Try to not read anything else about it, and just watch it. One thing I'll add: It's not straight-up horror but a great mixture of things, that's for sure. Great things, including haunting cinematography and a script soaked with a bleak sense of hopelessness, all accomplished on a modest budget.

Settling into the story, be prepared for a character-driven study, even hinted at within the movie itself. The acting is superb, the story intriguing, and the conclusion leaves you answering AND asking questions. The director brought it all together and made everything work. There are some drawbacks in terms of character/story logic - why wait so long to confront the Strangers? Would you believe Pedro's version of events? - but they do not take away from the experience of "living" through young Jesus and his video camera. It's one of those films for which I am BEGGING to be released on DVD in the US with a director's commentary. There HAS to be some importance to the character names - Jesus, Judas, Maria, Magda, Peter, Paul, Matt, Luke - even Paul stops by. Someone can take it and write a dissertation...if you do, please post a link. I've got more movies to watch and review...

This is a survival zombie picture, a quite slow one, with some action only later on. Of course those who liked this picture will probably say to that, that it is a character driven movie, with emphasis on both known and unknown threats, simply showing day to day survival after a big war somewhere in the future. But if it is suppose not to be an action flick, then why did they put in it that one typical zombie extermination scene? Also: why do they talk so much about means of survival and take care in maintaining order in the group to the degree of keeping reports from scavenger expeditions, and yet they have such holes in their defenses that it just beyond logical comprehension? And how did that lonely survivor was able not only to live outside that group for so long, but also at the same time in such vicinity to them, while staying under their radar? Things like that just show in clear sight, how (unfortunately) bad this movie really is

And the big plot twist at the end that reveals "the truth", could be the attempt of trying to save the movie by giving also a sense to the whole situation (and specially that other threat that is not named in this short review). But that twist does exactly the opposite, adding more faulty ideas. Because in the end that other (aside zombies) physical threat just does not make any sense. Was that suppose to be a thriller or horror? Sci-fi or fantasy? Or just a waste of film resources and the time of viewers?

This is surely not a science fiction movie. Unfortunately that is the problem with IMDb genres system: it does not have a "dystopia" or "apocalyptic" category, and as such often shows as a s-f something that has very little or nothing to do with that genre

This is a European low budget picture that makes the mistakes of a Hollywood big budget B-class movies. It slowly but inevitably degrades to a boring disappointment

This is a great little Sci-fi film. The production isn't that lavish but every Euro was well spent. The acting is top notch; the lighting is excellent with none of that "shot in the car park around back" feel. Clever tools like interjected scenes shot from the camcorder (there aren't that many) and the constant propaganda on the TV help Immerse you in to the world very quickly. The characterisations are strong and develop rapidly.

There are bits of the plot that are unexplained and may or not make sense if you really thought about it, but if you like Sci-fi (real sci-fi not Star Trek) you can't go wrong. The film is dark in essence, but I didn't find it overly depressing or gory, think Screamers or Cube.