Review of Super Dark Times (2017) by Kevin P — 24 Feb 2018

Strengths: Sometimes, a slow burn thriller is the way to go. This movie excels at building up the drama and tension throughout. You're really left wondering what exactly is happening and who is behind it all. Kevin Phillips deserves a lot of credit, as he crafted a film where the tone and atmosphere were perfect for the story being told. The scene were the actual loss of innocence happens was well done, especially considering the budget. The cast all performed well, which is great because none of them are major names. Owen Campbell (Zach Taylor) plays the lead well, as you understand his flaws, root for him to get the girl, and he's likable. Charlie Tahan (Josh Templeton) gives a great performance as the one who snaps. The scene involving the two of them and the sword near the end was one of my favorite all year long. There's a lot of tension and the way it was shot makes you feel for every stab and cut that happens.

Weaknesses: The ending was a bit weird. Not the big fight, because that was awesome. I mean ending it with the focus on Allison (Elizabeth Cappuccino). I understand that showing some of her scars and that she recovered was good, but it was just odd to end on her and not the main characters. I'm not really sure what the character Charlie (Sawyer Barth) added to the story. He was there for the whole ordeal in the beginning and sporadically after, without really being vital. The same story could've been told without him and nothing would be lost.

Overall: It came from out of nowhere, but this was one of my favorite movies in a very crowded 2017 field. It's a very effective loss of innocence tale that was shot in a way that added a ton to the film. The performances are great and the mystery and drama are built up so well.