Darkness

I’m becoming convinced that Jaume Balagueró is tuned to exactly the same horror frequency as I; every film of his is a great experience. Horror rarely scares me, but this author’s films always arouse something in me. What’s preventing a full score is mostly the ending, which I found a bit less effective than the rest of the film. (06/09/2008)

I do not have much experience with Spanish cinema, let alone horror films. I thus approached Darkness with initial skepticism. Surprisingly, I was very satisfied with it. It is not a film with a high budget, top-notch special effects, or full of well-known stars. However, it is a film with an extremely interesting atmosphere that reminded me of classic stories by the genre's master, Lovecraft. The main prop is a strange old house in seclusion, where something terrifying happened long ago and no one has lived there for many years. That is, until a new family moves in after decades of decay. This ancient scheme is a tired old song, and at the beginning, the film offers only a sense of banality in the face of trivial family problems. Gradually, strange things begin to happen and events take an unsettling turn. The film's convincing unsettling atmosphere is evident through its excellent, precisely timed music, sound effects, and above all, editing. It all culminates in a finale that truly does not end happily. Objectively speaking, I give the film credit, but on the other hand, it has been a long time since a horror film gave me a pleasant shiver down my spine, which did happen in several scenes. That disturbing image on the wall with mysterious faces has etched itself into my memory. Darkness is an example of a film that follows in the footsteps of the old school of classic ghost stories, and although it works with many genre clichés, it is still skillfully and innovatively crafted. The success of Darkness is partly due to the experienced horror producer Brian Yuzna. Overall impression: 85%. (04/01/2008)