Eyes in the Dark (2010)

Secret video files just discovered on an FBI server prove that the government has been hiding unexplained disappearances and a dangerous presence in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

Director:

Bjorn Anderson

Writers:

Bjorn Anderson (story), Bjorn Anderson

Stars:

Wayne Bastrup, Melissa Goad, John Soren

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wayne Bastrup	...	Josh Adams
Melissa Goad	...	Lacy Meyers
John Soren	...	Dean McClaren (as John Symonds)
Maureen Francisco	...	Heather Conroy
Telisa Steen	...	Stephanie Miller
Melinda Raebyne	...	Allison Stevens (as Melinda Ausserer)
Jason Robison	...	John Smith
Paul Eenhoorn	...	Anders
Ernie Joseph	...	Dr. Steven Monteray
Charlie Sims	...	Dr. Wesley Mason
Christine Umayam	...	Reporter
Mike Ash	...	Ranger
Stuart Campion	...	Ron
Jay Hill	...	Jay
Jennifer Rupley	...	Shawna

Storyline

On a last hurrah before graduation from college, seven students decide to spend their last weekend together at a ski lodge in the Cascades. While there, they discover something ancient and evil, the reason behind one of the biggest mysteries of the mountains.

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Plot Keywords:

hot tub | legend | escape | flashlight | cascade mountain range | 

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Taglines:

Stay close to the light.

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Cascade Mountains, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Emerald City Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Away"
Written by S.Y.F.T.
Performed by S.Y.F.T.

User Reviews

POV in the Mountains

In Bjorn Anderson's Eyes in the Dark, recovered video files discovered by the F.B.I. showcase the perilous story of a group of college students who while on a trip in a remote cabin, come face-to-face with a mountain legend that brings evil and ultimate death to all those it meets.

Shot in POV (or as some like to call it, Blair Witch-style), Eyes in the Dark effectively uses the dark and the terrifying idea of eyes staring back at you from the black abyss to develop a story told through multiple media devices.

The results are every bit as scary as they are uneven. The scary does eventually befall those patient enough to wait out the set-up. There are creatures in them there hills and their wolf-like howls are just as terrifying as their red glowing eyes.

Shot on an estimated budget of $100,000 (source: IMDb.com), Anderson uses his limited balance wisely and keeps the reveal of the creatures until the final reels. Even with their identity shown to the audience, the camera angles are such that long detailed views are impossible. This can either work effectively (see Cloverfield) or can be utterly annoying and Eyes in the Dark walks the thin line between both.

Unfortunately, the film is dragged down by some of the inferior acting of the small ensemble. Wayne Bastrup and Paul Eenhoorn stand out in their individual performances but the remaining cast seem at times uninterested in Bjorn's script or at the very least, unsure of how to deliver their lines. And a sub-plot storyline about jealousy amongst the young college co-eds just doesn't seem to resonate as anything of importance.

Eyes in the Dark has played on the festival circuit with stops at Stiff 2010, Killer Film Fest, Local Sightings Film Festival and as an official selection at the 2010 Fright Night Film Fest.

www.killerreviews.com