Review of The Darkness (2016) by Casey K — 29 Aug 2016

Horror films rarely get the credit that they deserve. I've discovered that the critics who review films seem to look down on the genre as lesser than their dramatic or action counterparts. That's why the virtually unanimous negative reviews for The Darkness did not stop me from forming my own opinion. With the high profile names of actor Kevin Bacon and producer Jason Blum attached to the project, I was cautiously optimistic that the movie would defy the horrid critical reception.

The film follows a family who has just returned from a trip to the Grand Canyon. The family of four seems to be the picture perfect realization of the stereotypical American family. Behind that idyllic façade, each family member is facing a unique challenge. The father (Kevin Bacon) struggles to manage his infidelity as the mother (Rhada Mitchell) fights to keep her alcoholism at bay. Oldest child Stephanie is dealing with difficult body image issues that come with being a teenage, and the youngest child Mikey has severe autism that only compounds the issues of the rest of the Taylor family. As if that isn't bad enough, their domestic situation gets even worse when Mickey brings back relics from an ancient cavern at the canyon. This unleashes a spirit that threatens to destroy the family in ways they could never have imagined.

If the story sounds familiar, that is probably because The Darkness draws on every cliché that you've seen in almost every other horror film. Every part of the story is predictable and trite. Even the intriguing family drama that is hinted at during the opening parts of the film are abandoned in favor of the mediocre conclusion that you'll see coming from a mile away. The real shame is that the plot underwhelms an otherwise solid production. The film has an eerie tone that underscores the drama as the cast does everything in their power to work with what they've been given. In the end, I can't help but to side with the critics. At a time when a trip to the movies has become more expensive than ever, The Darkness is a paint-by-numbers film that does little to earn our attention.