THE DARKNESS
US, 2016, 92 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Bacon, Radha Mitchell, David Mazouz, Lucy Fry, Matt Walsh, Jennifer Morrison, Paul Reiser.
Directed by Greg Mc Lean.
The Darkness is a rather quiet horror film from Australian writer-director, Greg Mc Lean. He made a an initial impression was Rogue that came to international fame with Wolf Creek, then making a sequel as well as a television series. He was to pick up his reputation for more extreme films with The Velcro Experiment (2017).
In the meantime, audiences were disappointed at the quietness of this horror film, a PG-13 rating.
However, it is more of a domestic drama, relationships within the family. Kevin Bacon portrays a successful architect, with extra projects, visit his office, pressurised by his boss, played by Paul Reiser. He is given an attractive assistant – which reveals that he had previously had an affair. Rider Mitchell is his long-suffering wife, patient with him, forgiving, but sometimes on edge. Have a teenage daughter Stephanie with the usual problems, resenting her parents intruding into the privacy of her room. However, she basically bonds with them.
The other significant character is the young son, Michael (David Moses) who is autistic. He requires special care, special treatment, toys and special treats at the supermarket… The film relies on the presupposition that some autistic children have a natural affinity with the transcendent.
On a family outing to the Grand Canyon and the beauty of the Arizona landscapes, Michael falls into cave and discovers stones which are connected with Native American myths. He takes them home, plays with them – which has significant effect on himself, even a fire in the house and the burning of the wall. The film shows the pressure on the rest of the family. The mother investigates myths and turns to experts who perform a ritual in the house, breaking through the burnt wall, Native American spirits arriving, the mythology saying that they would take children. The father then goes to rescue his son, trying to take hold of all the stones and put them in their proper symmetry. He succeeds in the family is reunited.
More of the domestic drama than horror story.
1. The title? Suggestions of horror? Indian myths? Possession? Visualising the darkness on the wall?
2. The Grand Canyon, the Arizona beauty, the caves, the highways, homes, school, workplaces, restaurants? The musical score?
3. The sunny opening, cheerful, Peter and Ronnie and the children, their friends, conversations, picnics, the walks? Michael and his going into the cave, falling through the sand, finding the stones, taking them?
4. The significance of Michael being autistic, the suggestions of greater connections with the transcendent?
5. Ordinary life, Michael, his needs, play, toys, Stephanie and her going to school, boys, friends, her resentments against her parents, intrusion into her room?
6. Peter, his job, the projects, his boss and talk, the new assistant and praising his lectures? The background of his having had an affair, Bron his reaction? Home, the bonding, the meals? Upset? Michael is concerned? Concern for Stephanie? The fire, the black on the wall? Advice about Michael in therapy? His denial of problems?
7. Bromley, her care, worrying, with each member of the family, the fire, not wanting to go to the dinner with the boss, the conversation with his wife, reading up background about myths?
8. Michael, the stones, the mythology, the friend on the wall, the fire?
9. Further research, the Native American myths, the stones, the ghosts taking the child?
10. Consulting the experts, the information, going to the house, the rituals, the family present, the spirits, the hole in the wall, Michael going, Peter to the rescue, retrieving the stones, the closing of the wall?
11. A family domestic story with horror and mythical overtones?
