THE DARKEST HOUR

US, 2011, 89 minutes, Colour.
Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella, Rachael Taylor, Joes Kinnaman.
Directed by Chris Gorak.

The Darkest Hour is a brief, alien invasion film. The action confines itself to Moscow with locations and supporting cast. The action is rather slight. Two young US executives (Emile Hirsch and Max Minghella) travel to Moscow only to find that local business has stolen their patent. When they console themselves at a nightclub, meeting an American, Olivia Thirlby, and an Australian, Rachael Taylor, and joined by the calculating business chief (Joel Kinnaman). It is then that the alien monsters arrive, descending in light but pursuing humans at a great rate and shattering them.

There is some battle with the aliens with the help of the locals, some deaths and a rescue and a final submarine.

Director, Chris Gorak, made the superior menace film set in LA, Right at Your Door. This one seems like an exercise rather than an entertainment.

1. A futuristic thriller? Alien invasion? Power Supply? The tradition of alien invasion films? The quality of this contribution?

2. The eastern European background? The producer? The local cast, the Moscow locations? The American contribution?

3. The Russians setting, the Moscow landmarks, the use of the city? The musical score? Action and effects?

4. The credibility of the plot, situations, characters, the aliens, the confronting the humans, heroics and survival?

5. The scene on the plane, Sean, jokes, his scare? Ben as more stable? The usual introduction to the travels, their work and research, their expertise, the mission in Moscow?

6. Going to the office, meeting Skyler, the board meeting, his demonstration, his taking their ideas, utilizing them? The breach of copyright, patent? His personal nastiness?

7. Sean and Ben going to the club, meeting Natalie? The usual scenes of clubbing? Meeting Anne, her work, bright personality, Australian background? Style are turning up?

8. The group, outside, the experience of the aliens, flight, confusion, escapes, hiding?

9. The alien manifestation, light, descending? The pursuit of the humans, shown in the light, destruction, shattering?

10. Taking of Moscow, the vivid presence of the aliens?

11. Hiding in the restaurant? The Russian girl, Vika, her joining the group, the sudden death of Anne? The fate of Skyler? Sean and Ben and their expertise, her for survival?

12. American embassy, destroyed, the plan with the submarine?

13. The men helping, the pursuit, the scenes of confrontation and destruction of the humans? The Power Supply? Natalie separated from the group, trapped in the bus? Sean and the insistence on returning? The rescue?

14. The good and helpful Russians? The finding of the submarine? The return to the US, to what?

15. The value of this kind of futuristic film? Its contribution?