From the Dark (2014)

   

Produced, Written & Directed by: Conor McMahon

Story by: Demian Fox

Starring:

Niamh Algar .... Sarah
Stephen Cromwell .... Mark

Release Dates: Fantastic Fest: September 20, 2014; Jameson Dublin International Film Festival: March 21, 2015

 

Rating:

 

A couple are travelling on a trip in Ireland and their vehicle gets stuck in a gutter. They try to go to a farmhouse nearby for help only to encounter a creature that attacks at night.

 

Nice moment with a scene on a farmer digging something up with the opening credits in between with nice close up shots on a corpses hand and so fourth while dusk is about to arrive. Then a near nice surprising moment on this fellow being attacked by an object.

Afterwards the story takes place earlier in which we have an irish couple Sarah and Mark on a cruise as this was a bit overly long driving within their discussions in which it needed to be a little shortened but not too much.

When their vehicle gets stuck in a gutter things start to roll in with the suspense in which Mark tells Sarah to stay put while he tries to get help in which any horror flick we all have a cringing feeling that this isn't a good idea.
While she waits in the car some creepy moments start to occur like spotting some figure walking by or in a distance watching her. THis was mysterious and spooky. Very well done too.

Meanwhile a nice setting when Mark enters a farmhouse in which it had an old school feel to all of this. He enters it as he spots the farmer with his back turned in which he approaches him with good careful shots on this. It leaves a chilling feeling that something shocking will happen.

Mark goes back to the car telling Sarah someone needs help and they go to the farmhouse once more in which alot of still moments take place. Nice dark camera takes when they look around inside the house and being nervous. This was another eerie feeling that some force or something is going to attack and it just does.

Terrific struggling situations with Mark being attacked by this creature and pulling him in while Sarah tries to rescue him. More moments like this occur as most of the moments remains the same on these two trying to avoid this beast. Along with green screen shots which is the creatures eyes watching along with him revealing his monstrous hands and so fourth.

Sarah cautiously goes outside and spots a tractor which the settings looked perfectly creepy with her attacking this thing with it which was well done with great shots on the lights of this vehicle.

However, another twist happens in which Mark is not whom he is anymore and tries to attack Sarah along with him smashing the lights from the tractor along with trying to find her and kill her. I found this confusing as it doesn't explain as how he came to be like this but then I figured it out later on. These moments sure become mysterious.

Sarah has to make a decision where she has to cut off something from her body which made me cringe and wonder if she will do this. THis moment isn't an easy one to watch for people that can't handle pain..

While Sarah was on the run to go to the burial ground where the farmer was doing his deeds there it looked very adventurous.
Suddenly the creature is creeping up on her which offers a great camera shot on this being in the night as this looked believably spooky. What was more spooky was with the green screen slowly approaching her as this kept me in suspense wondering as to what will happen next.

Bottom line is that this was a very well done and scary tale with simple plots. Sometimes vertain moments were time wasters but the terror makes up for that. It for sure reminds me of every child's fears on what goes bump in the night and lurking in the dark. A shame a sequel never came about on this as it deserves one.

The acting is very well peromed by only by two main cast members so I will give this a shot on these two:

Niamh Algar (Sarah) struts her stuff nicely in which she seemed to do a fine job offering a laid back type of attitude. Also does a nice job when she is cautious on things and trying to be careful in situations. Plus really gets into things when the terror strikes her offering a ton of powerful energy. Yes she was great while doing all of this.

Stephen Cromwell (Mark) was fantastic in whatever he did here. Shows off a nice charming behavior during the beginning of his performance. Also does a nice job when trying to look for help and being cautious within his surroundings.
Reacts well to be groaning in pain. Plus shows off a good versatality when turning in which he really knew on how to act menacing and monstrous. He was a full force of energy as well.

A mangled arm is discovered in a burial ground
Mangled leg is revealed
A finger is chopped off

Ray Harman composes some high violin type synthesizer music for the attack scene's which sounded fair. Also has some decent peaceful music during the countryside in the day. Odd icy sounds here anf there at the farmhouse when terrors strike which was pretty good. Intense high pitched music is revealed during other attacking moments that blends in well too.