Lazy Film Critic Movie Reviews
Lights Out
2016 continues it's ongoing trend of producing surprisingly good horror movies with Lights Out! This film is based on a short film with the same premise, by the same director. It follows a family who is being haunted by a demonic entity of sorts that can only take a physical form in areas of total darkness, where no light touches it. The film stars Teresa Palmer and Maria Bello.
For the last few years, the horror genre has been in a rut to say the very least. However, with the horror that's been released this year so-far - 3 of which have made my top 5 of the year - it seems the genre may finally be saved by visionaries and creative talent usurping power from the jump-scare squad. And Lights Out is no different, while it's not a great horror movie, it is by no stretch of the imagination a bad one.
What makes Lights Out special is that the focus wasn't entirely set on making a horror movie that would sell tickets, because they had a great horror concept as is. This films focus was on being a good movie, and that it absolutely accomplishes. The cast is all great, Teresa Palmer shows great horror chops and shows that she's one of the better (even if underrated) up and coming actors working today. The story is actually fairly interesting, and has a pretty solid mystery going on. All adding up to a surprisingly solid and cohesive story in a horror movie.
The concept of this movie might make it sound gimmick-y, and in fairness if you don't like gimmicks, this movie isn't old. However, what surprised me most about this movie is how constantly is changes things up to keep it feeling fresh, and its very creative with lighting and makes it so that it's always doing something new with its concept. While most horror movies are sold on a great concept, this concept is executed brilliantly. It's also worth mentioning that this is a mainstream horror movie that uses primarily practical effects and tricks of editing rather than CGI, so how amazing is that?
Final Rating
Perfect? Nah, it has its share if minor issues. However, those nitpicks aren't really worth brining up, as they're few and far between. This is one of the more creative and divisive horror movies of the year so-far, and it's well worth seeing, especially if you're a horror fan like me. It's not the breath of fresh air that Hush or The Lure was, but it's certainly a good movie in it's own right.
Perfect? Nah, it has its share if minor issues. However, those nitpicks aren't really worth brining up, as they're few and far between. This is one of the more creative and divisive horror movies of the year so-far, and it's well worth seeing, especially if you're a horror fan like me. It's not the breath of fresh air that Hush or The Lure was, but it's certainly a good movie in it's own right.
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