The Dark (I) (2018) User Reviews

Definitely Yes!

[Patient444 · 7/10 · 24 October 2018]

Just finished watching and came here to review it. I've noticed that not everybody was impressed with it, perhaps some missed the point or maybe they into a different type of horror. I think The Dark did a great job in showing a rather new perspective of this genre, it was intriguing, well executed and had nice acting attached to it.

You will see the drama in it, that is for sure, but it still stands tall as a horror piece. Just not one that relies on gore, jump scares or torture porn. A story like I've never seen so far, doesn't take its sweet time to build itself up, it dives in and dare I say, it delivers!

All in all, The Dark is an excellent option for anyone that wants to see something different, new and provocative. Highly recommended.

Cheers!

Well Worth Watching!

[ferdmalenfant · 9/10 · 18 November 2018]

This movie is one of those gems that you find every now and then. It's original and actually has an endearing story line with good acting that blends well with the gore and twisted mindsets around the main characters. It's the first time I recall shedding a tear during a "horror flick".

Dark Revenant Drama

[Pairic · 8/10 · 29 October 2018]

The Dark: The banality of evil: a store owner in rural America tries to scare an outsider customer with tales of people torn apart in the Devil's Den when the TV news announces that the shopper, Josef (Karl Markovics) is a dangerous criminal. Josef flees to the Devil's Den and finds a seemingly abandoned house in the forest. But an axe comes through a wall and he is pursued into the forest by the undead Mina (Nadia Alexander). Josef is an abductor who has left the teen Alex (Toby Nichols) in his car. Blinded by Josef, Alex has developed Stockholm Syndrome and is devoted to his captor. Mina decides to let Alex live and flees with him into the forest when he doesn't want to be found by the police.

While Mina appears to be a Zombie, her face shows damage rather than decomposition, she can speak and move normally but is feral and capable of great violence and savagery. A tenderness develops between the teenagers and Mina acts to protect Alex. Through flashbacks we see Mina's past life and how she became what she is. Once again the banality of evil is illustrated through the actions of humans.

A dark film, shot mostly in the night and twilight by cinematographer Klemens Hufnagi, indoors scenes are also captured through a dark, filter but the forest is particularly threatening. Mina slays with a hatchet from above, a knife, bites peoples throats out, yet it is easy to make a connection with her due to her history. Impressive performances from the young stars. Kudos to the make-up, effects and prosthetic department headed by Marissa Clemens, Graham Chivers and Zane Knisely. Justin P. Lange as director and writer has delivered an imposing revenant drama in his feature film debut. 8/10

Different story for once.

[deloudelouvain · 6/10 · 8 April 2019]

The horror genre is always difficult to rate as not everyone enjoys the same kind of horror. But I can see why there are so much positive reviews about this movie. For once it's totally different, you would almost feel sympathy for evil, or at least for what the little girl is supposed to be. Personally I would not have gone that healing way and just left it at a lost soul due to the early abuse. The acting isn't bad at all, what makes this horror flick worth a watch. As for the gore it's well proportioned, just enough to not turn it into a slasher. An interesting and unique story make The Dark worth the detour.

excellent horror drama

[mageh · 10/10 · 10 November 2018]

This is not exactly a horror movie, this is drama about child abuse and how HORRIFIC it is to the soul of a child that can become a monster. Very intelligent and well done. So, for those of you who are looking for shallow horror flick , skip it. It is not about psycho running around with ax, although there is enough gore and blood. I surprised it went so under radar since it deserves more recognition. Highly recommended.

This Stuff Talks Deeper!

[SoumikBanerjee25 · 6/10 · 24 April 2020]

This one kinda surprised me. I started watching with zero expectations and it gradually grew onto me. The way the mood has been set here is commendable. With those haunting shots in those far away locations; they give you a feel of isolation. The clever use of sound did make the movie more interesting. The performances as well were genuinely good. Nadia Alexander as Mina just stole the show.

Although the characterizations left a taste of Incompleteness. The lack of information for the character of Alex is perplexing! As he was one of the main leads over there! The slow pace helped in terms of setting the right atmosphere and keeps you hooked through. But at the same time it often became the sole reason for the movie to holding back.

The story conveys Child Abuse, Tortures, Sufferings. And How it could turn someone into a 'Monster' Or A 'Helpless' being. And in that scenario All we need is for humanity to strike back. To have Its presence felt once again. In order to revert back to our natural being and to move on with our life. It portrays the struggles that the victims suffer, the traumas they carry all their lives. It shines the torch on those Teenagers/Children who have broken down mentally or even worse turned into something more horrible just because of their unfortunate painful past. This one speaks for the horror that are around us. It speaks about the Monsters who resides among us. It certainly strikes deeper than usual. And that's What I very much admire.

I really liked that portrayal here. The message here is surely subtle. You need to be invested thoroughly in order to grasp the idea. But you must. The only complaint I have is the wasted opportunity on so many aspects. The promising premise should have hold onto its true potential rather than becoming a mediocrity in the end because of inexperienced writing and Lack of well put explanations. Nonetheless it is a Good watch. One of the better ones in Indie Horror.

Unusual Horror Story

[lmcgowan50 · 6/10 · 18 February 2019]

I enjoyed the movie but it was more sad than scary. Unique story with good acting. Some violent scenes but poignant as well.

You can never be too safe

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 27 October 2018]

The write up for the film gives away too much information, so pardon me if I follow in suit.

Josef Hofer (Karl Markovics) is" armed and dangerous." He is wanted and more nervous than the proverbial long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. He opts to hide out in a place called Devil's Den...and 28 minutes later, forget that film. We now are introduced to Mina (Nadia Alexander) badly in need of a manicure who lives in an abandoned house. It is apparent she has been abused and there is a backstory to go with it. Hint: mother's boyfriend. Mina meets Alex (Toby Nichols) who was also abused. She takes pity on him and doesn't eat it. They are being hunted...or maybe they are the hunters.

The film drags you in if you don't know anything about it. There are interesting turns that eventually get you to the description the filmmakers put out. I liked how the script played out. Mina was interesting. I didn't like Alex. The plot was different from the formula filled genre.

Guide: 1 f-word I caught. Brief clothed sex/rape? No nudity. 7 stars for originality.

Kind of unique

[matahari20-1 · 9/10 · 23 October 2018]

I say kind of because although in many ways this is an original take on the 'undead', there was something of 'Let the right one in' about it. But if this was deliberate, than it was a good thing..a very worthy tribute to a great film. If it wasn't deliberate, even better. Anyway, I was engrossed. And I felt much empathy for the characters, especially the girl, even while I found aspects of her killings difficult. She was a complicated character. There was all kinds of horror in this and it wasn't all about blood and gore type horror either. The horror of betrayal, the horror of extreme trauma, the horror of criminal and brutal human violence, the horror of innocents who get caught in the cyclone of desperation or callousness of others. There is gore, but It's not central to the power of this horror film. The sense of isolation even from one's self is. It is also really an analogy. And I think the ending is possibly a twist. Watch and decide for yourself.

horror drama

[mageh · 10/10 · 10 November 2018]

Amazing movie. More drama than horror. Highly recommended

A Surprisingly Excellent Horror-Drama

[sara_shaw · 8/10 · 27 October 2018]

I had no real expectations going into this, nor did I read a synopsis. It just seemed like the kind of horror movie I like, so I took a flyer on it. Let me just say: I'm really glad I did. It's really lovely to go into a movie and then watch it unfurl in front of you in unexpected, well-done ways, to build characters and bring them to fruition in a very touching manner, all while telling a dramatic-horror story that doesn't shirk from darkness and gore, when necessary. All this to say: an extremely well-done film. If you tend toward the indie side of things, then this is definitely for you. However, like I said, there is also plenty of traditional horror happenings, but they are all in service of the story (excellent!).

Let me start a new paragraph to sing the praises of two things: the direction/cinematography and the lead actress. The director also wrote the film, and the cinematographer is listed as co-director as well, and this shines through in some absolutely gorgeous frames where the camera is held still in some beautiful shots. As with all great direction, there are no wasted movements or shots here: the camera is moving when it needs to, and when it needs to be still, it is. But while all of this techinical work was excellent, the real star of the film is the lead actress, Nadia Alexander. She is absolutely remarkable, fleshing out the totality of a role that in the hands of a lesser actress would be one-note and usual. Her character arc is a marvel to behold, and I would be very surprised not to see her continue to blossom in larger profile roles as she gets older.

In summation: if you like indie dramatic-horror that prizes story/characters as much as scares/gore, then this movie is definitely for you. A Must See, in my humble opinion....

Nice one

[umunir-36959 · 7/10 · 17 November 2018]

A very good movie with emotions and feelings. Not enough horror but a good one to watch. Can't explain much here, watch it for yourself!

Pretty different and pretty great

[just_in_case · 9/10 · 29 October 2018]

I started watching this having confused it for some other spooky horror I'd seen a trailer for and man was I in for a surprise and a treat. I have a real soft spot for horror movies that do something different. If you've already watched the trailer you'll know it's got a bit of a Warm Bodies vibe to it, but this one is more deeply rooted in drama and horror. I think it takes the idea of Warm Bodies and elevates the subject matter from comedy to drama. There's not much more to say without spoiling the movie.

I will say this - As a fan of indie horror which seems to be last untamed genre, if you want to see more films like this you have accept that you'll have to dredge through a lot of 6 star and below films which this one is ranked at as of this review. Horror film is as wide open in concepts as drama and action but people often go in with very explicit ideas of what horror is and they get disappointed that "A Dark Song" is nothing like "The Exorcist" or "The Conjuring" then they throw a review tantrum. I'm sure there's at least review of "The Dark" where someone just said "boring - 1 star". Most movies like this get lost in in the subpar rating mix.

If you liked this one enough that you took time to read reviews like this I do recommend "A Dark Song" as being decent indie horror. Also "Absentia" and "I am a ghost". The last one being most similar to this kind of slow burn dramatic horror.

Thumbs UP for this Original Drama Horror

[demetrius11 · 8/10 · 24 October 2018]

This is a beautiful movie combining drama with horror in an original way. Horror went to the background after the story of the two teenagers begun to unravel which works great! This is a movie where the real "monsters" are the "humans", and I loved the fact that characters have depth!

The general atmosphere of the movie is great. Excellent direction, photography, sound, and (of course) performances! This is a beautiful production, well worth the time and effort invested by the people involved! Thumbs UP!

Just saw this at Fantasia. I recommend it.

[fragleswamp · 8/10 · 23 July 2018]

A solid movie in all aspects. However, Nadia Alexander kills it. An actor who can anchor a scene and bring intensity and believe-ability to most anything. The film touches on some dark themes and subjects throughout and does a good job of revealing what matters to the story. No spoilers, but the ending did what I was hoping for and not what I thought it might do instead which would have had it perhaps take a more tropey direction. The set was great and the make-up was exceptional.

Great overall

[michi-52525 · 8/10 · 26 October 2018]

Can someone explain the ending to me? A little confused... how did she turn human again? Was it because she let him go and showed humanity and compassion?

Great acting and story line very real and gritty! A must watch

Great Allegory

[twelve-house-books · 8/10 · 7 November 2018]

This one may remind you of TATTERDEMALION or I KILL GIANTS in feel, but this one is much darker--darker even than AN AMERICAN FABLE. There are loads of hard-to-watch scenes, and in many respects this is a Slasher film as well as the tender story of two severely abused teenagers who befriend one another. If you can get past the terrible physical scars of abuse suffered by these young people--and the ultra-violence of the antagonists--then you will be treated to a beautiful story of suffering leading to freedom. There could have been more references to God or love which would have pulled the story together under a uniting theme, but even without these the astute, thinking viewer will appreciate the struggles of the protagonists, their fears, and their ultimate salvation.

desperate measures for a desperate kid

[ops-52535 · 7/10 · 23 October 2018]

It barely happens,to watch a movie from the perputrators angle, thuogh the perpoutrator is also the victim . i liked this film as it unveiled the secrets of the victims of a victim,which made me feel sympathetic to the choices and actions she takes. there are lots of blood and gore,but as i mention,there is a reason. the story are merely well told, the loations , environment and settings are well prepared. the filmography and editing are brilliant and the acting are good. what makes a drawback in stars,is the pace of the progression. if you want a horrish pal,then do watch the dark

Crazy Kids Are So UnPredictable...

[wandernn1-81-683274 · 6/10 · 2 December 2021]

This was a concept that I have seen before. It seems to be more common as time goes by. I like the relationship that forms between the boy and the girl zombie/ ghost thing, whatever she is. Was well shot. Decent Story Line. Kudos. 6/10.

Certainly engrossing

[ajith-v-m · 9/10 · 26 October 2018]

I get bored of movies pretty quick but I must admit I was engrossed on this one the whole time. It really sinks you deep into the character of the girl and boy. The camera work and cinematography really gets into you deep into the story. If you're looking for jump scares this is not for you, but if you like Psychological horror that is mainly portraying characters, their environment and deep thought to their situation, you will love this. I took one point away as I couldn't quite understand the ending but for what it's worth, this is a great movie, one that I will remember.

An Original Take on Classic Horror Conventions

[maximus_dub · 9/10 · 24 October 2018]

The Dark is a masterpiece of cinematic storytelling. The protagonist Mina's story arc weaves seamlessly through an unexpected and beautifully shot narrative. From the opening scene, the film sets the bar high with tension and intrigue, and carries this high level of engagement all the way through to a deeply satisfying and unexpected ending.

Nadia Alexander is both terrifying and empathy-evoking as Mina, the living embodiment of a monstrous past and the ultimate deterrent to going down to the woods at Devil's Den. The Dark tells its story using classic horror conventions but delivers it in a unique way; a proverbial breath of fresh air pumped into a dead body.

While fans of gore have plenty to appreciate here, The Dark itself isn't the kind of horror that scares the living daylights out of you, instead it gets under your skin in a different way. It incorporates and rewrites the possibilities of the horror genre, and in the case of The Dark, that's an immensely enjoyable thing. The Dark is a beautiful, mesmerising film, so good that I had to write my first IMDB review. Fans of horror and great storytelling alike have a hidden gem here. Watch it.

Suspend judgement

[theknownames · 8/10 · 29 May 2019]

No expectations. Ended up being pretty solid. I planned to skim this, I was curious. But I ended up watching it. 8 stars. Original and consistent. .

Not what I expected

[kathmummybear · 6/10 · 12 December 2019]

Watched this on sky and wasn't expecting very much but was pleasantly surprised the acting was very good and so was the directing the only thing stopping me from rating it higher was the ending .NOT A slasher more of a tragic heart felt horror . Carnt wait to see what the director / writer will create next !

Different

[goldklank · 7/10 · 16 November 2018]

Not a horror film. Unique story between two unfortunate Souls. Wish is was longer and told more!

i'm suprise, it's new but it's strong !

[ariqakbar · 7/10 · 26 October 2018]

I'm not expect to much after josef die scene at the begining. it was really feeble ..

but after that, turns out this movie was gain it's power slowly but sure. they give you strong background, a unique concept. it's a new way to serve a love story and it was good for me.

it's new thing i know, but i dont get it why people gave only 6.

i know most people not gonna like the ending. but this movie need this ending, it make the story become more strong i guess. and btw you guys succeed make suprise when you show mina face. she's beautiful