Reviewed by Allie Schembra
Maiden Woods is a remote and quiet town of decent hard-working people, but something stirs in the dark woods surrounding this isolated community. After a logging company decimates an area of the forest, a rash of increasingly violent and unexplainable events transpires. Sheriff Paul Shields (Kevin Durand) and his deputy (Lukas Haas) struggle to confront their own personal demons while facing down a new breed of raw terror that is possibly older than humanity itself… And much, much hungrier.
Film (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)
At a logging camp in New York, some men disappear and are found ripped to pieces. 90 miles south of the camp, the Sheriff of Maiden Woods, New York, is trying to put his life back together after his son tragically died… all while working with a new partner who transferred from New York City.
Sheriff Paul Shields responds to a call at one of the local farms regarding a missing horse. He tells the rancher he will look into it and convinces the rancher he may have left the gate open. Later that night, after picking up his son, Adam, they return home and get settled. Adam sees something outside the window in the back yard, but after investigating, Paul doesn’t see anything, only hears some noises. The next morning, strange hoof-like footprints are found around the house and down all the streets of town.
Paul and his deputy, Donny Saunders, search for answers, but the townspeople are growing increasingly afraid. Men begin disappearing and the more they investigate the strange deaths, footprints and claw prints, the more it seems less likely that they are dealing with an animal. On the night of a big snowstorm – one that shuts down the town – Paul and Adam are home when the creature breaks into the house. Before it can hunt them down in their hiding place, it is interrupted by Donny who responds to Paul’s call for help over the radio.
Paul gathers the townspeople in the church, where he thinks that as long as they are together, they will be safe. But the creature finds them and after getting everyone in the basement bunker, Paul and Donny go in search of the creature and find something definitely is not human.
I wasn’t expecting to like this movie as much as I did. I thought it was going to be some cheesy attempt at a horror movie and while some parts were cheesy, I really liked the story and how it all came together. Actor Kevin Durand is one of those guys who I see all the time and always enjoy watching. His voice, mannerisms and his look are all so interesting and he’s a good actor.
The story was interesting and I liked how the film makers made the viewer jump at certain points and gave you just enough glimpses at the creature to really pique the viewer’s interest. In the end, the creatures were a little cheesy and the special effects for them kind of lame, but this wasn’t a big budget film and they did they best they could.
Video (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Dark was the Night’s 1080p high definition widescreen presentation is really good. The color palette chosen was really good. The shades of gray and blue used were perfect for the winter setting and brighter colors blended in well and didn’t overtake the muted colors. Night scenes were dark and creepy and it was hard to see the quick movement of the animals and creatures… which is exactly how the film makers wanted it.
Audio (3 out of 5 stars)
The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio was really good. The movie is creepy enough, but the extra sound effects from the creatures made it even better. Coupled with the good dialogue and story, the audio worked well. Sound levels varied from low to high, but it wasn’t distracting. It seemed more like that’s how it was supposed to be rather than something to be concerned about.
Extras (2 ½ out of 5 stars)
I enjoyed these features and wish there were more. The cast seemed to really get a long and both features gave a good look at the film, the characters and the actors.
- Behind the Scenes: A Trip to Maiden Woods – With a runtime of about seven and a half minutes, this look at the movie from behind the scenes talks with the cast and crew about the story, their characters and
- Q&A with the Cast of Dark was the Night – Video from Scream Fest with the cast panel. The panel was really informative and funny and they gave a lot of fun insight into the film.
Summary (3 out of 5 stars)
Dark Was The Night was a creepy movie and I really enjoyed it. The story was interesting, the characters likable and it really held my attention. While not the greatest of horror movies, it had its moments and it’s definitely one I will watch again.
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