This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.
From my favorite movies..
Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
View MoreI love horror movies and I don't mind a good thriller but this is neither. I realised halfway through that I was watching a virtual remake of an equally pointless Italian flick I'd already seen. I was hoping I was wrong but I wasn't, this is every bit as witless and shares the same pathetic ending.Rip up the first 40 minutes of this film and throw it away, it has no bearing on the rest of the movie. There's some killings rendered dull by the flat pace and boring killer. There's some victims but they are completely dull and lifeless too.To cap it off there's a message about the world cleansing itself or something and pure crap that is too. It doesn't even make sense within the confines of the dreamlike situation it tries to create. This is a pitiful boring movie and anyone rating it over two stars is most definitely in it, directed it or just has no taste in movies. Don't waste your time, it's beyond terrible.
View MoreDark Nature is an admirable albeit flawed attempt to replicate the genre film making of the U.S that dominates our multiplexes. The film is a considerable achievement when you consider the budget involved and respect has to be shown for getting a Cineworld release, something most Scottish films can only dream of. As for the film itself, while I don't agree with delusional users who dare to make comparisons with Dario Argento's work, it's certainly more palatable than most art house fare churned out by Scottish cinema at present. The casting of the film is by in large good, with Imogen Toner, Niall Fulton and Vanya Eadie putting in solid performances. Direction while somewhat choppy at points is indicative of a first feature director and low budget, while the DOP work is solid. Whether intentional or not 'Dark Nature' does entertain the audience, something the Scottish film industry forgot how to do a long time ago. Most problems in the film occur due to the script, lending weight to the old adage that you can't make a good film from a bad script. Films such as 'Dark Nature','The Dead Outside' along with the superior 'Outpost' represent an interesting new development in the Scottish film industry, namely production houses attempting to make effective genre films which are commercially viable. It's worth considering that studio's such as New Line cinema were built by genre fodder such as the Nightmare on Elm Street series, lets hope the three production companies involved in the aforementioned films evolve in a similar manner. On a side note I'd also like to thank the punter with the bout of Tourette's syndrome who shouted at the screen for reminding me why Glasgow people are amongst the most ignorant cinema goers in the UK.
View MoreFamily holidays may frequently be a recipe for disaster, and this simple and effective thriller takes this maxim to its natural conclusion. A moderately dysfunctional family of mum, new boyfriend and kids drive out into the countryside to visit her mother for a holiday. Little do they know what they are getting themselves into.Director Marc de Launay and writer Eddie Harrison combine to produce a delightfully nasty and violent thriller, which bears all the hallmarks of classic 70s exploitation cinema. This is not the only influence though, with nods also to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Gus Van Sant in restrained and sparse mode, and to horror maestro Dario Argento.With red herrings, an appreciable sense of false revelation, a tasty dose of gore and a clean, clinical, functionally efficient feel to the picture, this is enjoyable fare. The dialogue is stripped of flannel, everything has a reason to happen despite an overall feeling of ambiguity and the direction shows an interesting ambivalence towards the central characters which poses more questions than it answers.Dark Nature is a pleasing B movie. Small aims, nicely realised.
View MoreDon't be fooled by the low budget - there are plenty of gory surprises in this bloody thriller about a family holiday gone horribly wrong, as well as a sprinkling of red herrings and twists.Director Marc de Launay contrasts the shocks with lingering shots of the deceptively peaceful scenery (the setting is Cumbria but it was filmed in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland), but the accompanying score never allows the edge-of-the-seat tension to drop.This is one for the genre fans - unlike in Hollywood slashers, there are close-up shots of the wounds and spurting blood. Not to mention a hands-over-the-eyes finale involving the optimistic setting of an ancient animal trap...
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