Movies like 2000’s Cast Away and 2023’s 65 both tell stories of survival. Yet, many films about survival in the past few years are based on apocalyptic futures or more modern times. However, 2024’s Out of Darkness is a Survival Thriller that begins in a different era altogether.
Set for release in theaters on February 9th through Bleecker Street, Out of Darkness is directed by Andrew Cumming (Clique 2018, Payback 2023), taking you back 45,000 years ago when humanity was just beginning… in what is broadly referred to historically as The Stone Age.
Giving you a strong authentic, aesthetic feeling, it also features a compelling cast that includes Kit Young (The School for Good and Evil 2022, Shadow & Bone series) as Geirr, Safia Oakley-Green (Sherwood 2022, The Lazarus Project 2023) as Bayeh, Chuku Modu (Captain Marvel 2019, The 100 series) as Adem, Lola Evans (The 100 series, Phea 2022) as Ave, Arno Luning (Eline Von Uns 2018) as Odal, and finally, Luna Mwezi (Needle Park Baby 2020, School of Champions 2024) as Heron.
This all in mind, Out of Darkness is about six early humans that have banded together in search of a new land. However, the land they intend to settle seems to be cursed and the settlers soon begin to suspect malevolent mystical beings are hunting them down. Will they survive whatever is stalking them? What is it that is stalking them?
Out of Darkness is essentially being told by the characters; beginning with Adem, meanwhile, Bayeh ends the story. This is something that gives a more intimate tone to the film. The connections between them keep the audience connected to the characters and seem to make the mood feel more edgy. These connections are – Adem and Geirr are brothers, Ave is pregnant with Adem’s child, Heron is Adem’s son. As for the others, Odal is said to have been an old man that Adem took pity on and allowed him to travel with them. The interesting part of it all is Bayeh; who is identified in the film as a stray. However, Bayeh does play an important part in the film and all of these relationships are vital to the plot.
Interestingly, Out of Darkness was filmed in the UK in the Scottish Highlands. However, the language spoken in the film is called Tola, and it is a language created for the film particularly to give it a more genuine Stone Age vibe. Furthermore, staying true to the title, Out of the Dark is a darker film… meaning most of it is filmed in very low lighting or in complete darkness. Still executed well, additionally the camera angles utilized are also brilliant. For example, the shots that are made with the camera turning upside down represent a more perturbed feeling for the audience. This is while the close ups help connect the viewer to the characters and help give a stronger emotion to everything transpiring.
While little more can be revealed about the storyline without giving it away, all that can be said is that this is absolutely a film about survival. Dark and sinister, you will not be disappointed, and Cryptic Rock gives Out of Darkness 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment