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Cast: Robin Dunne (Syfy's Sanctuary), Dan Payne (Star Trek Beyond), Daniel Cudmore (X-Men: Days of Future Past), and Briana Buckmaster (The CW's Supernatural)
When estranged brothers Adam and Clint attempt to reconnect over a week-long hunting trip in remote British Columbia, they find the tables turned by a mysterious presence lurking in the forest. Convinced that they are now besieged by a supernatural presence, the siblings begrudgingly agree on only one thing: they will have to put aside their differences and work together if they plan on making it out these dark woods alive.
Brothers Clint and Adam have never had a close relationship. Mostly because of their childhood, Clint was close to his father as a child because they shared a lot of the same interests such as hunting while Adam never liked the idea of killing an animal so he never found that closeness with his brother or his father. It put a lasting strain on their relationship.
As years went by Clint stayed in his hometown and eventually took over his father's business, got married and raised two children of his own in the old family home. Adam on the other hand moved away when the opportunity presented itself. Now years later Adam has returned home to go on a hunting trip with his brother and to try and patch up their fragile relationship.
But what they don't know is their own personal differences will mean very little once they take off on their hunting trip because what awaits them is something far more serious and dangerous than anything they could have imagined.
"Devil in the Dark" opens with a man running through the woods with a child in hand, you can sense his desperation as he yells out the child's name, ADAM!! We of course find out it is Adam's father and his brother Clint who are running through the woods because Adam had gotten lost during a hunting trip. We find out later in the film that Adam has memory of the incident and us the audience wonder what it really has to do with the story but we assume Adam saw something out there and his recent bad dreams kind of confirm that as well.
After the tense opening scene the film quickly jumps ahead and we see Adam on his way back home to spent a week with his brother on a hunting trip. From then on the film becomes a family drama about Adam and Clint as they try to settle their differences. You get the feeling that may never happen but there is enough tension and family history to keep you engaged in their story.
The drama lasts close to an hour before the actual horror elements kick it but once they do they last for the final half hour of the film. In that time the film becomes a frightening piece of film making. Director, Tim Brown takes Writer, Carey Dickson's story and brings it to life in pulse pounding fashion. The last half hour is terrifying, suspenseful and chilling and the woods provide the perfect atmosphere for the story and it becomes a character itself providing a feeling of isolation and fear.
If you are looking for an all out horror film with blood and gore look elsewhere because this isn't one of those films. "Devil in the Dark" is a smart, character driven horror film that contains more family drama than actual horror but getting through the drama is worth the wait because once the horror kicks in it is feverish and intense. I also loved the film's ending which might suggest a sequel, I for one would love to see what happens next especially after the major tease at the end.
Production wise the film looks and sounds amazing. The cinematography is breath taking especially with its wide shots and its aerial shots as well. Another thing that made the film so good was the excellent acting from the film's two lead actors, Dan Payne who plays Clint and Robin Dunne who plays Adam. Both are terrific and they have great chemistry together.
"Devil in the Dark" hits VOD on March 7th from Momentum Pictures. I really enjoyed the story of Adam and Clint. It was both intense and realistic and I thought the last half hour had some of the most frightening moments on film I have seen on film in a while. If you are a horror buff and love Independent Cinema then I highly recommend checking it out.
Released by Momentum Pictures
**** Out Of *****