Director:ย David S. Sanberg
Writer: Eric Heisserer
Cast: Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Maria Bello
Release Date: July 22, 2016
Martin (Bateman) is a sweet little boy who lives a terrifying nightmare every time the light goes out. A menacing shadow visits him in the darkness threatening his sanity. His depressed mother Sophie offers little help. ย In fact, she’s no help at all. Grasping at what little hope he has left Martin calls his way wayward sister Rebecca (Palmer) to come to his rescue. Rebecca returns home reluctantly to save her family and in the process face the fear she thought had died long ago. Growing up she experienced the same torment as her brother, the violent haunting of a vengeful spirit that has attached itself to their mother. Despite all odds and the overwhelming fear, Rebecca returns home to fight the darkness and save her family .
The haunting of this little family is terrifying. As long as I can remember I have been afraid of the dark. I also have a fear of ghosts and this film combines two of my worst fears into one nightmare-inducing package. This film takes fear and amplifies it with some special effects and incredible cinematography.
Admittedly, I can be a chicken about scary films. Despite my skittish nature, I do enjoy horror, and “Lights Out” is well-done horror film. It is reminiscent of old fashioned horror films that didn’t need computer generated monsters or excessive gore to terrify. Just the threat of darkness and the anticipation of a sighting is enough to induce a real panic.
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and seeing a shadow figure in the darkness. Turning on the light makes it disappear and just when you thought you were safe you turn out the light and there it is again closer. If you suffer from scotophobia, Lights Out would be one scary film for you. It isn’t just the darkness that is terrifying, it is the unknown. The eery sound of scraping, the disembodied voice and the movement just beyond your peripheral vision. The fear is real and easily recognizable on the faces of the cast. Gabriel Bateman’s “Martin” isn’t your typical movie kid. He isn’t unnecessarily creepy or impossibly weak his character comes across as genuine and instantly likable. As one would expect his fear keeps him up most nights and when he calls his sister for help, it isn’t because he wants out -the poor kid just wants to sleep. The sister, Rebecca (Palmer), isn’t as complex as she would have anyone think. She’s essentially the usual scared bad ass with a heart of gold. As with most horror films, there is some humor and predictability. You will find yourself warning characters about what’s behind them and taking mental bets on who will get it next but that’s the fun of it. The dialogue at times is very raw and real but eventually gets really sappy at times. ย If you can get past a little bit of sappiness, you will find a decent horror movie worthy of your hard earned dollars. Suffer through the sap but stay for the terror.