In the end, this just doesn't surprise enough, and when it does surprise, it's unfortunately in the area of logic.
Christian Sebaldt's cinematography and the Isle of Man and Devon, where "The Dark" was filmed, are the most interesting parts of this film—though Bello and Bean do manage to turn in some fine performances despite having little chance to really do so. Mostly, you walk away from this wanting more. You want more Celtic legend to enter into it, because this place feels ancient. You want more backstory than those goofy flash-moments that Adele gets which would illuminate the relationship between her, James (Bean), and their daughter, Sarah (Sophie Stuckey). And you most certainly want more information about the relationship between the religious fanatic (Richard Elfyn) and his daughter, Ebrill (Abigail Stone). With none of that coming, you end up wishing for more shots of the Isle of Man and Wales, because after a time it's the only thing that legitimately takes your breath away.
Video: The video does justice to the gorgeous scenery and photography, with good clarity and color saturation despite the Isle of Man's infamous dreary, Seattle-like light. There's hardly any grain, and the shots at sea-level or underwater are every bit as superb as the aerial opening and frequent shots of the island's cliffs. Much of "The Dark" is shot in near-darkness, and those scenes are as sharp as the daytime exteriors. The picture is mastered in High Definition and presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen.
Audio: The audio is a booming English Dolby Digital 5.1, with subtitles in English and French. As with the video, it does justice to the symphonic score.
Extras: The only extra is an alternate ending, which turns out to be an only slightly less happy and equally confusing one as the ending that Fawcett settled on.
Bottom Line: It's harder, I think, for a filmmaker to elevate a film in the horror genre than it is comedy or action, and that's because the conventions seem more prescriptive. You're stuck with the gradual revealing of a horror or menace, and the cultivation of a cinematic Petrie dish in which the characters' fears can grow and grow until they spill over onto the audience. But you do have to fully reveal that horror eventually, and you do have to create a credibly tense atmosphere. Fawcett gets it half right, but tries way too hard to compensate for a script that just doesn't have enough small horrors along the way to that one climactic one. And he uses far too many camera movements and ranges, so that you begin to feel like your eyes are forever trying to adjust. In the end, this just doesn't surprise enough, and when it does surprise, it's unfortunately in the area of logic.
Video: The video does justice to the gorgeous scenery and photography, with good clarity and color saturation despite the Isle of Man's infamous dreary, Seattle-like light. There's hardly any grain, and the shots at sea-level or underwater are every bit as superb as the aerial opening and frequent shots of the island's cliffs. Much of "The Dark" is shot in near-darkness, and those scenes are as sharp as the daytime exteriors. The picture is mastered in High Definition and presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen.
Audio: The audio is a booming English Dolby Digital 5.1, with subtitles in English and French. As with the video, it does justice to the symphonic score.
Extras: The only extra is an alternate ending, which turns out to be an only slightly less happy and equally confusing one as the ending that Fawcett settled on.
Bottom Line: It's harder, I think, for a filmmaker to elevate a film in the horror genre than it is comedy or action, and that's because the conventions seem more prescriptive. You're stuck with the gradual revealing of a horror or menace, and the cultivation of a cinematic Petrie dish in which the characters' fears can grow and grow until they spill over onto the audience. But you do have to fully reveal that horror eventually, and you do have to create a credibly tense atmosphere. Fawcett gets it half right, but tries way too hard to compensate for a script that just doesn't have enough small horrors along the way to that one climactic one. And he uses far too many camera movements and ranges, so that you begin to feel like your eyes are forever trying to adjust. In the end, this just doesn't surprise enough, and when it does surprise, it's unfortunately in the area of logic.
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[release]18725[/release]