I was browsing movies on Amazon when I came across In The Dark. It was advertised in the horror section and the movie poster does fit the mold. What really drew me in was the small synopsis that describes a blind woman being stalked by some psychotic friend. I thought this could be an original, suspenseful psychological thriller. I was wrong. It’s about as suspenseful as Swimfan with Jesse Bradford and as “horrific” as Possession with Sarah Michelle Gellar.
After watching In The Dark, I discovered that this feature film is actually a Lifetime Original Movie…which explains the lack of actual suspense and horror. Unfortunately, I paid like $5 to watch this so you’ll just have to read through this review anyway. Please?
In The Dark is directed by Richard Gabai and written by Shane Mathers, Lloyd S. Wagner, and Bradford R. Youngs. This saddens me because it means there wasn’t a lick of originality between the three writers to pull off a decent psychological thriller. Anyway… In The Dark follows Ali, a very accomplish artist, who loses her family and her eyesight in a horrific accident. After six months of intensive therapy and medical care, she is allowed to leave her facility and finally go back to the home she once shared with her husband and child. Only one catch – a happy go lucky, too friendly medical aid will be accompanying her in case she needs any assistance in re-entering her old life. Oh, and did I mention that Jeff, the seeing aid, is completely bat shit crazy and develops an unhealthy obsession with Ali. You can guess where it goes from there, right?
Before I go any further – because this has been bothering me – but how does one go about losing their eyesight in a car crash, especially when there’s no damage to any of the parts needed to see correctly? I can understand a limp…or an ear…but eyesight, really?
The only thing that In The Dark has going for it is the amazing cast. Ali is played by Elisabeth Rohm, who has appeared on “Angel,” “Law and Order,” “Heroes,” and currently stars on “The Client List.” Creepy nursing aid Jeff is played by Sam Page, another television vet whose resume includes “All My Children,” “Point Pleasant,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “Mad Men.” Rounding out the main cast is Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie, Night of The Demons), Elizabeth Pena (Rush Hour, Jacob’s Ladder), Richard Portnow (“The Sopranos,” Se7en), and Aiden Turner.
As I’ve mentioned, In The Dark is clearly not a horror film or very suspenseful at all. It looks like post-release, this film has suffered a tremendous miscategoration. From the movie poster, to the small synopsis, and to the blood splatters in the credits In The Dark has been marketed as a horror film…which it is very far from. My hope is that others may read this and spare themselves from wasting $5 on this movie. At the same time, don’t get me wrong – this film was made perfectly, not a single production mistake or critique to be made, and the cast was so amazing and talented, but this movie was just very…blah.
Recommended for women over the age of 50 who wouldn’t know a good “horror” movie if they saw one.
