Dark
Dark
| 17 October 2015 (USA)
Dark Trailers

A disturbed young woman must confront her worst fears when she finds herself trapped alone in a New York City loft during the 2003 blackout.

Reviews
ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.
Tacticalin An absolute waste of money
FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.
Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
jackduvall This is an underrated work of art. I was blown away by the performances, especially the lead Kate played by Whitney Able (who was also fantastic in Gareth Edward's Monsters). It's a slow burn thriller which builds to an ultimate and tragic finale. The intense emotions on display are really well done. Underneath the surface it's really a study of depression and mental illness with moments of such deep despair it reminded me at times of Lars Von Trier's Melancholia. I will say I think this movie was marketed wrong as a horror film and the poster art is misleading. Some reviews seem to be people expecting a "jump scare" horror movie which this definitely is NOT. If that is what you are expecting you will be very disappointed. But, if you are like me, and really like and seek out more art house, character driven, psychological thrillers this film really delivers. It's a film that will stick with you for awhile. Like Antonioni's Blow-Up, Dark is an atmospheric journey with more layers to it than appear on the surface.
sgcim I saw this on NF, and it was labeled as a thriller, but if you expect a thriller, you're going to be very disappointed. It turned out to be a very low-budget drama about a washed up 33 year-old model with some serious mental problems being left alone during the 2003 blackout in NYC. The building and the neighborhood are made to look very sleazy, so even though it was shot in Manhattan, it's probably supposed to be Bushwick, Brooklyn, like it said on her driver's license. It has a very uh, interesting first scene, but after that, it settles into a character study of the lead character. The only good scene after that is the scene where the lead walks home drunk from a bar, and is made fun of by some kids in the neighborhood. She starts yelling curses at them, and they start cracking up in laughter at her. Other than that, it's basically a one woman show till the seemingly tacked on ending. As usual with low budget films, there are the typical phony, ten star reviews by people involved with the film, so that sunk it down another star for my rating.
Babs Phenomenal performance by Whitney Able and the rest of the cast with great direction by Basile. One of the best arty indies I've seen this year. It's an atmospheric and intense emotional ride through the very disturbed brain of the main protagonist. I wish there were more movies made like this. It's also a terrifying and unsettling depiction of New York City during the blackout. I've read some comments where people complain about the film being too slow or too ambiguous. For me the gradual build and deliberate pacing is what set this film apart and allowed for me to really care about the main character. The finale of the film wouldn't have worked nearly as well if the buildup was rushed. I also really liked some of the ambiguous elements in the film. Today it seems like audiences want everything spelled out. The filmmakers here instead allow the audience to fill in some of the blanks which I find refreshing. Admittedly, this may not be everyone's cup of tea but I found it to be surprisingly well done. A very underrated thriller which I highly recommend.
manuelasaez Even the worst films have some redeemable qualities, be it good acting, a solid premise, or even a good musical score. This film has absolutely none of that. Rarely have I seen such inept and completely talent-less film making, but this...this takes the damned cake with the many poor decision are made. First, the premise; What, exactly, is going on here? Is it the story of a Lesbian who suddenly decides that she doesn't like girls anymore? Is it the story of the NYC blackout of 2003? Or is it a story of girl who is mentally ill in some way? None of these questions are really answered. What you will find, however, is a useless lesbian sex scene (denoting some form of abuse or BDSM that is never fully realized), some absolutely horrendous acting by the female lead, and supporting characters that should never be given a role in a film ever again. The movie moves in a plodding pace, barely anything happens, and when it does, it is hidden by the poor use of shadow during the "blackout".I have seen some dreadful movies in my day, and if you look at my review history, I do not shy away from calling a spade a spade, but this film has got to be one of the most inept, embarrassing, and downright insulting excuses for a horror film I have ever seen. Nothing about this film will be remembered, and for good reason; it is a shameful vanity project that shows neither merit nor skill, and you be be lucky to never have seen it. Avoid it like it has an airborne disease and your immune system is compromised.