Review of Lights Out Full Movie

Review of Lights Out Full Movie: Civil war is not without problems, and one of the largest that is a direct result of the fact that the system of at least three films of different ways, but this is much closer to the best that Marvel Studios that can do the opposite. If you suffer from obvious flaws in serial format, also benefits from the most obvious strength: the characters and their interactions have been established so that the film does absolutely nothing to solve.

Can you land on speed and not so moved that to your advantage, fast enough despite an indulgent 147 minutes runtime, civil war, flags, or never really think you spin the wheels. Look, it's not always so good history but it sure as hell is not delayed. Not very scary and few (if any) surprises. However, I'm really digging this recent horror trend of a niche focus, like a single sense (sight, sound - 'A Quiet Place'). Anything that encourages a more interesting approach in a genre sorely lacking in creativity is good by me!

Unfortunately, the premise of 'Lights Out' is pretty difficult to sustain. The clear solution to the protagonists' predicament is to keep the lights on all the time. However, it still needs to be a horror movie, so Diana is given the ability to affect lights (though I may be assuming this incorrectly). Given this, shouldn't the protagonists never be safe? On the other hand, the power outage does suggest that ultimately, nowhere is safe. Still, the power of light is ill-defined as it's unclear whether a candle (which illuminates the holder but casts shadows) would be equally protective as a torch (no self-protection but few shadows). This aspect would probably be better as a game mechanic, really!

Of course, horror movies are almost always metaphors for something so I perhaps shouldn't be too harsh. On that note, I would love to write a short paper on that or something.

Apparently, this was based on a short film, and yeah, that's sort of how it feels. Much like, say, Mama, it feels like a creepy idea that was forced to have logically put into it. As such, when we actually find out just what the hell is going on, it's a little weird and doesn't make a ton of sense. It's also obvious this is an inexperienced filmmaker, at least in long-format work, so some of the characters are a little cliché and the dialogue can be heavy on exposition. But hey, when you just roll with it and don't let that stuff bother you too much, it's still a pretty unique idea with some genuinely creepy moments. The reasoning behind the haunting didn't really work for me as I found it a bit too silly, but the actual events of the haunting really worked for me. 

The way this creature moves reminded me a bit of the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who at first, where while flipping a light switch she moves closer to you, and it's pretty creepy. It's also a movie that does leave you with sort of a creepy feeling afterward. After watching it, I went into my hall, and my roommate's door was open and the lights were off, and looking into that room actually gave me a bit of a chill down my spine. Supposedly this is a movie they want to franchise, turning this spirit into the next horror icon ghoul I guess. Honestly, I don't know how well that will work, I don't know that it's worth that. As a small horror film with some likable characters and a unique approach to it's scares though, yeah, I liked it. It's not great, not as scary as a lot of other supernatural horror movies out there, but it's still good and well worth your time if you like the genre.

The problem with most horror movies is that they lose just about all of their appeals when viewed in any environment other than complete darkness (and on a massive screen). Lights Out are no different, especially when taking its premise into account. But what about when it's viewed exactly how it's meant to be; in the biggest theater, you can find? It's pure R-rated, rip-out-your-armrests horror, which isn't suggested by its PG-13 classification. The movie also skillfully proves that it is indeed possible for PG-13 spookers to have a lingering effect.

Rebecca is a woman with a flawed and distant relationship with her misguided, alienated mother, Sophie. However, she shares a much closer bond with her younger brother Martin. Martin is experiencing increasing difficulties in his everyday life due to sleep deprivation caused by sleepless nights, which are further caused by the unwelcome presence of a demonic entity named Diana: a darkness-dwelling nightmare with a disturbing connection to Martin and Rebecca's mother. Rebecca, as it turns out, experienced similar events during her own childhood years. Diana's malevolent return to haunt and torture this fledgling family engages them in the ultimate fight for survival.

The premise had an original enough twist for me. It's this film's strong concern with the importance of family that sets it apart from the majority of mainstream horror productions. The grossly overrated Insidious comes to mind when taking this into account. That film's biggest hindrance was the stale performances of the lead actors. Consequently, every supernatural setback that the fictional family encountered made the audience happy it was happening to them. The Lamberts simply weren't characters worth caring for (an issue that would be fixed with the release of Chapters 2 and 3). Contrarily, Lights Out introduces us to an involving family with ease, thanks to its chilling prologue, which involves Diana brutally murdering Martin and Rebecca's father.

Child actors are often targets of relentless derision. Gabriel Bateman, Martin's actor, deftly dodges major characterization issues simply because the character has surprising depth. Insidious, on the other hand, had a thoroughly uninteresting child protagonist, played by the hit-or-miss Ty Simpkins. Martin is a more than welcome change of pace: a turmoil-stricken lad who's also tough. I am not familiar with any of Maria Bello's previous work, but she is a fairly well-known actress and executes some fine work here. Teresa Palmer, another highly talented actress, also delivers, interacting with the duo of Bello and Bateman in a believable manner. 

Diana's origin story has been criticized as illogical. Since when have logical ghost stories been scary? Never. Yes, the fact that blacklight has a different effect on Diana than standard light is a little absurd, but the lack of realism is compensated for by some truly disturbing sequences. If the horror genre was a scientifically accurate affair, it would have absolutely no reason to exist. It's a genre where the absence of realism is necessary for its own function.

The finale is quite emotional. The three family members in addition to Rebecca's somewhat heroic boyfriend Bret hold on to each other for dear life as Diana ferociously stalks and torments them, after disposing of an entire police squad. The film dramatically peaks when Diana corners Rebecca, preparing to kill her. Sophie, understanding that she is the only thing keeps Diana connected to this world (watch the movie for clarity), tragically sacrifices herself to save her children. It's a painful but relieving climax. Though a truly memorable character is gone, at least the viewer doesn't have to worry about wetting his or her undergarments. At least, that is, until the definite sequel, which is set up perfectly by the final shot.

Lights Out are definitely worth watching, even if you have to do so under certain lighting conditions. It warrants repeated viewings, a true miracle for a film that is part of the polarizing world of modern-day horror cinema.