The Darkroom (2006)
Director: Mike Hurst
Starring:
Greg Grunberg
Lucy Lawless
Reed Diamond
Shawn Pyfrom
Plot: FYI, I normally try to do a basic plot point. I don't like going into specifics for spoiler purposes.
A mental patient (Reed Diamond) who has had amnesia for 15 years is given an experimental drug. The drug is designed to help people with amnesia to remember their life and things like their name, family, where they might live or grew up. After the patient escapes the facility his dreams become nightmares with flash images of what looks to be a crime, he is plagued by a creature that chases him in his dreams, he also has hallucinations involving the creature. He figures the creature is a creation from the drug and tries his best to dismiss it's presence. However, he fears he has done a heinous murder, he lays low in the homeless community. During his self exile he manages to befriend a boy named Stanley(Shawn Pyfrom) by chasing off two bullys.
The boy has his own family problems, his mother (Lucy Lawless) is an alcoholic and his step father (Greg Grunberg) is detached, distance and secretive. The marriage is strained because the father goes out late at night with a camera and has a dark room in the house, which he constantly keeps locked. The relationship between the step father and boy is also strained, the step father is constantly reminded that he is not the boys real father and he hates to be reminded of that fact. With the help of his new friend, Stanley finds out his step fathers secrets which he is not fully prepared to find out. There is a bit of a twist to this story but I will leave that up to the reader to figure out on their own.
Review: The main reason I watched this film was simply for Lucy Lawless. She has always played fairly strong minded women so it was nice to see her ability to play a vulnerable house wife is just as great. Even though this was a supporting role Lucy is able to convey the anger and mental pain the character feels toward the husband and also the feeling of helplessness of being in an unhappy marriage.
Another thing I liked is how the creature is portrayed on screen. Part nightmare, part hallucination, part fear is what makes this creature. As the movie progressed the viewer can see what events caused this creature to be incorporated into the patients psyche. The creature did have a "Pumpkin head" feel to it, I'm sure thanks to the director experience on such films.
The movie doesn't get too graphic but it does show some pretty intense scenes. There's blood and murder, not a lot of gore. I think this is a good mix of storyline and horror. Like all movies there are some plot holes in it but they aren't bad. The horror part wasn't over bearing and the storyline kept it moving. Good movie if you like the horror genre but don't want the gore factor to get in the way or plot line to be senseless.
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2 comments:
A great review. This is one of my favourite movies. It is also one of Lucy Lawless's best roles. I wish there had been more of her in it. I know a second movie was planned, and it is too bad it never got made. Thanks for thepositive review! Charis.xX
Thank you for your feedback :)
I heard rumors of the a second movie. They really didn't leave much room for a second movie unless the plan was to follow a second person who had taken the drug.
Lucy was the main draw for me :). I have liked her acting style since Xena aired.
I've seen her past works as well, I didn't realize it until I recently saw a Ray Bradbury re-run but she played the wife of a husband who went crazy. I remember watching the episode way back in my teens when The Ray Bradbury Theater was broadcast with Tales from the Darkside and Monsters.
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