Out of Darkness is a lean and mean prehistoric thriller sure to make fans of its mixture of horror, action, and contemplative storytelling.
Director Andrew Cumming comes out the gate swinging with his feature film debut Out of Darkness. Armed with an adroit script by Ruth Greenberg, the result is a horror action film of survival with more on its mind than basic thrills.
Set during the Paleolithic period a group of six homo sapiens have come ashore after a perilous journey to unknown shores in the hopes to find new shelter and food sources. Very quickly we learn the dynamics between the group is not as friendly as one would think. The leader Adem (Chuku Modu) rules with a harsh and violent streak. His family has taken in whom they call “a stray” Beyah (Safia Oakley-Green) on this journey. As they begin to search these lands it becomes apparent that something is hunting them forcing the group into desperate measures with horrifying consequences.
Much of Out of Darkness relies on your lack of knowledge of the details and specifics of the story and plot. This is not a weakness but a true advantage the film has. Screenwriter Greenberg has created a first-rate survival horror film. One that never plays by the rules. Armed with a story that is layered in a way that will surprise many about what it has to say regarding humanity – even humanity 45,000 years ago.
The film makes excellent use of its budget and filming lavations in Gairloch Scotland. Director Cumming and Cinematographer Ben Fordesman are keenly aware of what they can do and execute the visuals with the kind of acumen that makes their film look ten times larger than the actual budget. Their set pieces are wonderfully shot, and designed for maximum impact. The entire film is beautifully constructed by editor Paolo Pandolpho.
It would be enough if Out of Darkness was a straight-ahead horror film, but the filmmakers have managed to smartly create underlying themes that are relevant today. The way they manage to embed these in plain sight reminds one of the very best of the Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits. Not in that there is a twist ending but in how allegorical those two classic series could be without one realizing.
Out of Darkness is a genuine surprise for the start of 2024.
Out of Darkness is a lean and mean prehistoric thriller sure to make fans of its mixture of horror, action, and contemplative storytelling.
Director Andrew Cumming comes out the gate swinging with his feature film debut Out of Darkness. Armed with an adroit script by Ruth Greenberg, the result is a horror action film of survival with more on its mind than basic thrills.
Set during the Paleolithic period a group of six homo sapiens have come ashore after a perilous journey to unknown shores in the hopes to find new shelter and food sources. Very quickly we learn the dynamics between the group is not as friendly as one would think. The leader Adem (Chuku Modu) rules with a harsh and violent streak. His family has taken in whom they call “a stray” Beyah (Safia Oakley-Green) on this journey. As they begin to search these lands it becomes apparent that something is hunting them forcing the group into desperate measures with horrifying consequences.
Much of Out of Darkness relies on your lack of knowledge of the details and specifics of the story and plot. This is not a weakness but a true advantage the film has. Screenwriter Greenberg has created a first-rate survival horror film. One that never plays by the rules. Armed with a story that is layered in a way that will surprise many about what it has to say regarding humanity – even humanity 45,000 years ago.
The film makes excellent use of its budget and filming lavations in Gairloch Scotland. Director Cumming and Cinematographer Ben Fordesman are keenly aware of what they can do and execute the visuals with the kind of acumen that makes their film look ten times larger than the actual budget. Their set pieces are wonderfully shot, and designed for maximum impact. The entire film is beautifully constructed by editor Paolo Pandolpho.
It would be enough if Out of Darkness was a straight-ahead horror film, but the filmmakers have managed to smartly create underlying themes that are relevant today. The way they manage to embed these in plain sight reminds one of the very best of the Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits. Not in that there is a twist ending but in how allegorical those two classic series could be without one realizing.
Out of Darkness is a genuine surprise for the start of 2024.
Out of Darkness is in theaters February 9th
Share this:
Like this: