The Darkest Hour

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Amberly

Yeah it's not so great. I mean, I really love the band of survivors in an apocalyptic scenario films so I probably am predisposed to love this kind of film but even I had some trouble with how bland most of it was. Right at the start I picked who would die AND in what order and I was right on all accounts.

Chris Gorak's first film Right At Your Door is absolutely brilliant. In many ways it's the same sort of set up but done in a much smaller scale and much smarter as well. This has all of Timur Bekmambetov's big fx blockbuster hands all over it though.

Now there are some cool things about the film. There are a few places where they build suspense well. The invisible foe has always been particularly effective at getting me on the edge of my seat ever since I saw Predator when I was waaay too young. And apart from a select few very badly post converted shots, the 3D is really good, in fact I'd say it's essential in the way the creatures are rendered on screen seem as they are invisible and only recognised by the distortion they leave. In 3D you can actually see this distortion occupy a specific space and it's a really great effect.

Unfortunately they reveal this as a shield protecting an alien underneath and when you see their design it kind of ruins any fear you might have had of these things.

The actors flub their way through it. Well they look like they are having a good time filming in Moscow anyway. They are all doing everything they possibly can to sell this story but it's not gonna work. And I really can't tell anymore if someone is a really bad actor or I just can't stand a lone Australian accent in amongst a bunch of Americans. Perhaps both.

I do love the premise, I love the idea for the enemy (but not the reveal) and I liked the 3D but that does not a good movie make. The rest is rather terrible. Although nowhere near Skyline level bad.