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Review: Good jumpy scares, eerie atmosphere from ‘Lights Out’
There was a shared chill in the air of excitement and fear in the theater during the press screening of Lights Out, which made the horror movie much more terrifying.
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Teresa Palmer and Gabriel Bateman in "Lights Out". (Warner Bros./-)
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here was a nervous chill amid the excitement and fear reverberating around the cinema during the press screening of Lights Out, which made the horror movie much more terrifying. Directed by David F. Sandberg, who made his Hollywood debut by remaking one of his own no-budget horror short films in 2013, the film was impressive heritage with James Wan, the director of Insidious and the Conjuring franchise, serving as one of the producers.
The story begins with the familiar trope of a broken family cursed by a present situation or the past of a recurring character, the latter in the case of this movie. The title, Lights Out, reflect how the haunting presence is unable to manifest itself in the light, but is able to manipulate it and turn it off to pursue its victims. Teresa Palmer (The Choice, Warm Bodies) plays Rebecca, who lives on her own while her sickly, depressed mother (played by Maria Bello), is left with her half-brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman). Worried about her brother, who experiences insomnia in the house with her mother who has not been taking her anti-depressants, Rebecca takes Martin to live with her while she tries to figure out what is going on and struggles to face the secrets that her mother has kept in her past.
(Read also: Thai horror movies you should not watch alone)
Overall, there are a good many jumping scares, and the eerie atmosphere is just right to have the ghost always appear behind one of the characters. Ultimately there is a sad but victorious ending for the characters, with those remaining vowing to stay together.
For the producers at least, the movie must be quite satisfying, as there is news that the production companies are working on a sequel already, and that David F. Sandberg will return to both write and direct the next one. (kha/kes)
