Review of Lights Out (2016) by Christopher E — 14 Nov 2016

With an emotional story and a universally scary concept, "Lights Out" manages to add onto what has been a fantastic year for horror films.

A family is haunted by a supernatural being that thrives in the dark. As a result, a young woman must protect herself and her family, while also discovering the dark past that's plagued their history.

In what has been a fantastic year for horror films, "Lights Outs" manages to show us that quality horror films still exist, and there can be more than one released per year. The overall premise of this movie is certainly intriguing and hits home on so many levels. The idea that the darkness is a place of no safety is the exact fear that we all had as children. I applaud this movie on not only its intriguing concept, but its execution as well.

Teresa Palmer was actually really great. I never knew how much talent she had and she gave a ton to this film. She stood out to me in so many scenes and she's such an underrated actress. I hope to see more of her in the future and I wish her nothing but luck as she starts her own new family. The kid actor, Gabrielle Bateman wasn't too shabby. He actually filled his role really nicely and although he had some awkward moments, he's definitely an above average child actor. Alexander DiPersia played the most likable boyfriend we've ever seen in a film like this. His character was genuinely nice and he made a bigger impact on this movie than most would expect. For once, all of the characters had purpose in a horror film and the talent behind them were splendid.

The camerawork and lighting in this movie was fantastic. In a film that's going to rely heavily on precise lighting and brain rattling camera angles, it's important that every little detail is accounted for. This movie had some really nice lighting and they managed to create an atmosphere as to which this creature existed in.

The story was a lot more emotional than I thought it would be. There was actually a lot of different aspects and concepts beyond the supernatural itself, and this really became more of a hard hitting drama at times. I was actually really interested to see where the story would go next. The dialogue was a lot smarter then most horror movies, and even had its moments where it shined. Overall, the movie's screenplay was great and it really had me hooked.

With all of that, the film is ridiculously short. I was fine with the pace but without credits, the movie doesn't even eclipse the hour and 20 minute mark. It's extremely short and it feels very short. The ending was so abrupt and there wasn't enough time allocated to a movie that just so happened to have an emotional story. In a movie like this, there needs to be more run time to build emotion and attachment to the characters. If this movie was a whole 20 minutes longer, it could have been even more impactful and memorable.

There are also a few plot holes in this movie. I won't spoil them but they can be fairly noticeable. It degrades the experience once you really think about them. It hurts the entire idea of the antagonist and weakens the continuity in this film.

In the end, "Lights Outs" is a great horror film with a top notch cast and a strong story. Due to its short run time and lack of continuity, it makes it difficult to give this movie a higher rating. Regardless, it still earns a strong 4 stars from me.