THE DARK **** Austria 2018 Dir: Justin P. Lange 95 mins
In The Dark, an undead girl explores her humanity when she helps a blind boy. It definitely has been a while since I have seen a zombie film, so I am quite pleased to say The Dark is one of my favourite zombie films. It’s a tragic examination of trauma and the scars of a troubled life, Think along the lines of Jonathan Glazer’s Under The Skin mixed with John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let The Right One In, but with a more direct approach. Nadia Alexander’s undead Mina and Toby Nichols’ blind Alex play very well off of each other.
Their relationship throughout the film is one of caring and understanding through a very difficult time. They often have a very organic connection. Most of the supporting cast is also really good, but the focus is almost entirely on Mina and Alex. The soundtrack is haunting, with many of the songs leaving a lingering effect. It’s a perfect supporting addition to each scene and adds a lot to the journey of these two characters. You don’t quite get the feeling that this is a zombie film, as the film focuses more on the characters than the, well, zombification. The zombie part is in the background, even though it is a part of The Dark. Visually it is very appealing. There is quite a bit of blue filter, but it actually adds to the movie. In muting the background, you focus on and appreciate the different characters and the well written story. Overall, The Dark is a great film. It’s not exactly scary, but it is emotional and very well written. It’s definitely a four star film. I highly recommend watching it.
Review by Joseph Cruz