I’ve always been a fan of horror films that leave the monstrous villain lingering hidden in the darkness. . . viewers’ minds bringing forth much scarier visions than what would usually come by way of CGI or makeup. A film that faithfully follows this rule (both literally and figuratively) is the 2016 horror flick Lights Out, directed by David F. Sandberg.
Based off of the director’s own 2013 short film of the same name (definitely worth checking out, you can read my review here: http://filmizon.com/movie_reviews/are-you-afraid-of-the-dark/), Eric Heisserer expands the story (with the help of Sandberg as well as producer and horror maestro James Wan), adding voice and back story to the mysterious presence seen in the three minute pic.
Opening with an almost vignette style introduction (like something you’d see in a horror television series), it sets the tone. . . simply and ominously, setting up the rules of the so called game (that no one would ever want to play). The female creature thrives in the darkness, losing all of its power in the light. . . and, even in the pitch black, all that is seen is the makings of a shadow. With the power to maim and kill, you’ll want a night-light on while you sleep.
Somehow connected to a specific family, Sophie (Maria Bello) is the struggling matriarch – suffering in numerous ways (including depression), often failing to raise her son Martin (Gabriel Bateman). With a daughter that has separated herself from the family, Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) is living an edgy, drug and alcohol infused life (you could argue that she is also struggling – much like her mother) with her rocker, though surprisingly straight-laced (and domesticated) boyfriend, Bret (Alexander DiPersia).
Flipping the script, it is in fact the adult, Sophie, who sees the unknown entity. . . a take on the child’s invisible friend motif. Her so-called pal, the ghostly presence doesn’t seem to be very ‘friendly’ to anyone in particular.
After some troubles at school, Martin, unable to reach his mother, calls Rebecca. . . bringing her back into the fray. Immediately recognizing that her half-brother is spooked (not sleeping at night), she invites him to spend the evening with her. . . and we soon learn that this dark presence has no problem travelling long distances in the dark. Quickly escalating, you have to wonder, how do you defeat a shadow with powers?
Getting the very most out of a simple premise, Lights Out preys on our most primal fears. . . that of what we cannot see in the dark – the shadowy spirits that usually live just outside of our five senses. Feeding off of this, Sandberg and cinematographer Marc Spicer build an eerie, palpable atmosphere, the use of shadow and light pure perfection. Building numerous impressive set pieces, each sequence builds off of the last, adding more depth and forcing the characters further down the oppressive rabbit hole. Perhaps one of the coolest scenes finds Rebecca waking in her apartment (which is in a more flavourful area of town) in the middle of the night. . . the only light that of a neon sign flashing off and on just outside her window. Like a heartbeat continuously skipping a beat, the tension builds through this repetitive cold red illumination, the young woman soon realizing that she is not alone (at least when it is dark). Another nice touch found Sandberg using a number of more traditional practical effects in an attempt to avoid using CGI as much as possible – a worthwhile and noticeable goal that feeds into the shadowy figure. Likewise, natural lighting is often used. . . candles or a black light the only thing giving us and the characters sight – all of these decisions further adding to the atmosphere.
And, quite nicely, Sandberg and his team rarely play into stereotypes. Like the above mentioned straight-laced rocker and mother with invisible best friend, they tweak what would be deemed expected, building decently nuanced characters for a horror film. Brought to life with quality performances from the cast, this film also touches on very real subjects, like depression and dealing with family issues that have long festered – adding a more believable background to the family strife. Also, keep an eye out for Lotta Losten (the original star of the short film and wife of director Sandberg), for she plays Esther, Paul’s assistant at the beginning of the feature.
A creepy little movie to watch late on a moonless night, Lights Out is aptly named, not simply because of its subject matter, but because it is so well executed it could be described as lights out (for those of you who do not know, it is a sports term meaning great). Without a shadow of a doubt, take a shot (even if it is in the dark) and experience this atmospheric horror motion picture – it is well worth it.