Watch Darkness

Darkness is a horror film directed by Jaume Balagueró, released in 2002. The movie tells the story of a family - Mark (Iain Glen), Maria (Lena Olin), and their children Regina (Anna Paquin) and Paul (Stephan Enquist) - who move from the United States to Spain to live in an old house that belonged to Maria's father. Regina, the teenage daughter, is immediately unsettled by the house's dark and eerie atmosphere. Strange occurrences begin to happen, such as power outages, objects moving on their own, and strange noises, all of which contribute to her growing sense of unease. Mark, on the other hand, believes that Regina is simply being hysterical and dismisses her concerns. Maria is torn between the two: she wants to believe her daughter but is also reluctant to accept that there might be a supernatural presence in the house.

As the story unfolds, the family discovers that the house has a dark history. Maria's father, a scientist, used to conduct experiments on children who were believed to have psychic abilities. The children were subjected to extreme conditions such as complete darkness for prolonged periods of time, in order to test their abilities. These experiments led to the deaths of the children, and their spirits are said to haunt the house.

The family's situation worsens as Regina begins to have horrifying nightmares that seem to be linked to the house's past. The nightmares become increasingly vivid and disturbing, and Regina begins to draw strange symbols that seem to hold some connection to the house. As Regina delves deeper into the mystery of the house, revelations about her own family are brought to light, and the situation becomes even more complicated.

The film's cinematography is fantastic and sets the tone for the movie. The house is perpetually in shadow, with minimal light and a sombre colour palette that adds to the oppressive atmosphere. The score is haunting and eerie, making use of sudden bursts of percussion and drones to contribute to the building tension.

The actors give solid performances, particularly Anna Paquin, who convincingly portrays Regina's growing terror and confusion. Lena Olin and Iain Glen also deliver strong performances as the parents who are struggling to come to terms with what is happening in their home. Supporting actors such as Giancarlo Giannini and Fele Martínez round out the cast, providing some respite from the otherwise oppressive atmosphere.

The plot is well-paced, with just the right amount of reveals and twists to keep the audience engaged. The resolution of the film is satisfying, with all loose ends neatly tied up.

In terms of horror movies, Darkness is not particularly gory or violent. However, it does rely heavily on tension and subtle scares to build dread, which will be particularly effective on viewers who are easily spooked. Fans of classic horror movies like The Shining and Rosemary's Baby will find a lot to appreciate in Darkness.

In conclusion, Darkness is a well-crafted horror movie that manages to be genuinely creepy without resorting to cheap jump scares or gore. The story is solid, the acting is strong and the visuals are top-notch. While it may not be a groundbreaking work of horror cinema, it is certainly worth a watch for fans of the genre.

Darkness is a 2002 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.4 and a MetaScore of 15.