![]() ![]() Part of the reasoning for this may be that the film was based on a short that was also written and directed by David F. A shock or twist ending is not always necessary in horror, yet here we are given a very basic and plainly told background, with little room for additional reveals. The easily summed-up plot brings up the first major issue of Lights Out: there is no sense of mystery underlying the story of the film. Though she was killed during an experimental procedure at the hospital, she has now chosen to come back to haunt Sophie and her family. Diana suffered from a unique condition that made her sensitive to light, and she met Sophie while they were both at a mental institution. It is soon discovered that the woman, named Diana, was somebody that the mother knew when she was younger. A family, including a son ( Gabriel Bateman), an older daughter Rebecca ( Teresa Palmer), and their mother Sophie ( Maria Bello), are continually haunted by a spectral shape of a woman, who can only be seen when the lights are completely out. ![]() The concept of Lights Out is what drew me to it. It is a mostly forgettable film, though not without at least a shadowy frame of something more positive. Unfortunately, like many dime-a-dozen horror films, Lights Out suffers from an all-in approach, choosing to simply attempt to scare the viewer by any means necessary rather than working on making it genuine. Though reminiscent of other horrors I have seen, the idea of a creature that only lives in the dark is still an interesting and potentially frightening subject that is, if it’s composed with the right balance in both story and direction. It does employ a few all-too-familiar tricks, but they certainly don’t undercut the many things the film deserves credit for.Lights Out initially seemed to be promising. Palmer and Bello are especially good and are given roles that are a fresh step above the female horror movie norm. Overall this is a tightly packaged horror thriller with a good steady pace, some decent scares, and a small interesting group of characters. One reason for this may have been due to the minuscule budget, but that only makes its effectiveness more impressive. He steers clear of CGI mostly using practical effects including true lighting and even a prosthetic suit for the creature. Light serves as the only protection and weapon which gives Sandberg a fun playground. The movie’s title comes from its violent creature that only appears in the dark. When she learns her stepbrother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) is being terrorized by something from her family’s past Rebecca is drawn back into a reluctant relationship with her mother. Teresa Palmer is really good playing a young woman named Rebecca who has been estranged from her mentally troubled mother Sophie (Maria Bello) since her father walked out years earlier. It succeeds because the characters are given enough attention and are fleshed out through a couple of strong performances. At its core is a grounded story of a torn, suffering, dysfunctional family. So often horror movies fail because of their inability to create authentic human characters we can empathize with. Sandberg embraces these genre devices but his film works because he is smart enough to know what is important. Jump scares, creaky floors, flashlights with low batteries, temporary stupidity from the characters – it’s all here but in more measured doses. Sandberg’s film doesn’t reinvent the genre and you will quickly notice several of the usual horror movie tricks. It keeps “Lights Out” concentrated on its characters and on telling a good story within it’s compact 80 minute running time. Here he stays centered on his subject barely stepping outside of his self-defined box. The movie is Sandberg’s feature film debut and is based on his own 3 minute short film from 2013. Now we can add a third quality horror picture to the conversation – director David Sandberg’s lean, focused “Light’s Out”. “The Witch” and “The Conjuring 2” both offered up refreshing entries into a genre that could use a little energizing. 2016 has already delivered a couple of exceptional horror movies.
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