Review of Darkness Falls (2003) by Luc L — 03 Nov 2010

Do you know what, I can't believe I've not rated this film before now. Despite the apparent loathing of it by critics who think the awful "Drag me to Hell" was brilliant, this is one of my favourite modern horror films. It absolutely baffles me, surely it's not rocket science that a good film has a beginning, a middle and an end, and a good horror film has a protagonist with a back story and an actual point to the character and it's reasons for being?

This film may not be worthy of any best actor nominations but the story is good. The reason for the horror is apparent, explained and believable and the hero characters do everything that anyone in their position would do - there's not one shred of shouting at the screen in frustration at their idiotic actions that is so frequent in horror films. It may be a fairly short film but the story is told at a very good pace, there is suspense, there are moments that have you biting your nails and it preys on our childhood fears, which is actually pretty scary, and it does it well. It's not one of those films that once you see the baddy, it's shit: the "tooth fairy" is actually done brilliantly well. And for once, just once, in a furore of films that all end the same way, this film actually has a decent ending. Personally I think this film ticks all the boxes and definitely made me stay in the light when I walked home from the cinema! Loved it. Think all critics are morons.