Fear of the Dark is one of those rare independent horror movies that successfully scares the viewers with some quality direction and decent acting. In fact, it is one of the best independent horror movies you would come across and our Fear of The Dark Movie Review will explain why.
Plot and The Surprise Element
What is the thing that makes a movie scary? The answer is the “Surprise” and this element of surprise is very much dependent on the cinematography, sound, and expressions of the actors. The Director K.C Bascombe does a respectable job by using all the film-making elements efficiently. He treats the story with a gray tone that is always indicating something creepy and unknown. The best parts of the movie are mostly the result of well thought out directorial work. The story is about a boy named Ryan Billing who is afraid of darkness and his elder brother Dale doesn’t believe him at all. Then, a day comes when their parents leave the house for one night and the Dale finds out the horrific truth behind his brother’s claims.
Performance
The lead pair of the two brothers, Dale (Kevin Zegers) and Ryan (Jesse) is the backbone of the cast. The other characters also do the job professionally. The acting is a big factor that many have found this movie worth watching. The acting and the characterization helps the movie to keep its pace. The actors also maintained the creepy atmosphere of the movie. This film is a good example of how good teamwork can make a low budget film successful and worth watching.
Directorial Take
The basic story revolves around the family of Billings. This is why the director has tried to give more focus to the family members. The camera hides more than showing and this is one of the primary conditions of making a good horror movie. The colors and the costumes show the thoughts behind those and help the cinematography to make the visuals interesting and dark. The actors give well-tuned performances to make the film smart.
The storyline is a big factor and also the driving force of the film. In some parts, it becomes predictable, but mostly holds the attention of the viewers. The director also breaks the linear story and creates interesting moments through the brilliant use of tempo. The environment is very well created by the director and he has given all the help to actors to behave rightly. The art direction and the use of different objects also give the film lifts in different parts. Such objects created new shades and artistic visuals.
Flaws
The main problem of the film lies in its predictability of the story. Many times you may feel that the incidents happening are quite obvious. This kills the surprise element and the hard work of cinematography goes in vain. At some parts, you may also feel that the directorial work is a bit sloppy and drags the pace of the film.
If we take out those few flaws, this film can be termed as one of the most watchable horror movies of the last decade and we would definitely recommend this horror flick in your “must watch” list.