The Darkest Dawn is an excellent illustration of why you should avoid "passion projects" where the director writes the script, casts himself as the lead, and may even serve as Key Grip.
Fleeing from generally off-screen aliens as well as the requisite groups of roving bandits that form to take advantage of these situations, our protagonists walk, crawl, run, swim and boat from, through and toward various English towns that include Hungerford (site of the film's prequel), Oxford, Manchester and London. We know this only through occasional awkwardly delivered updates, as for the greater part of the movie, it's neither clear nor relevant where they actually are. The settings include a dilapidated estate; a dilapidated barn; a dilapidated chapel; and an inexorably long tunnel through a series of dilapidated basements. And those snapshots are effectively what I remember from the film, after watching it 4 hours ago.
Well, I do remember the actress who allegedly holds the camera for the found-film footage, because she bizarrely grins, jokes, and makes cutesy tween faces every time she is responsible for delivering exposition. Her huge toothy smile was one of the (unintentionally) creepiest aspects of the film. The characters otherwise melt into each other, lacking both distinct personalities and motivations.
The plot is equally vague. The girl and her sister follow whatever man is closest to their vicinity, adopting each new companion's mission and destination in turn. It doesn't work out very well for anyone, but you really won't care.
The most praise I can bestow is that the special effects were better than expected for a film with a £70K budget. I would have guessed at least £100K.
Fleeing from generally off-screen aliens as well as the requisite groups of roving bandits that form to take advantage of these situations, our protagonists walk, crawl, run, swim and boat from, through and toward various English towns that include Hungerford (site of the film's prequel), Oxford, Manchester and London. We know this only through occasional awkwardly delivered updates, as for the greater part of the movie, it's neither clear nor relevant where they actually are. The settings include a dilapidated estate; a dilapidated barn; a dilapidated chapel; and an inexorably long tunnel through a series of dilapidated basements. And those snapshots are effectively what I remember from the film, after watching it 4 hours ago.
Well, I do remember the actress who allegedly holds the camera for the found-film footage, because she bizarrely grins, jokes, and makes cutesy tween faces every time she is responsible for delivering exposition. Her huge toothy smile was one of the (unintentionally) creepiest aspects of the film. The characters otherwise melt into each other, lacking both distinct personalities and motivations.
The plot is equally vague. The girl and her sister follow whatever man is closest to their vicinity, adopting each new companion's mission and destination in turn. It doesn't work out very well for anyone, but you really won't care.
The most praise I can bestow is that the special effects were better than expected for a film with a £70K budget. I would have guessed at least £100K.
