Bryan Bertino – THE DARK AND THE WICKED
- Good filmmaking.
- The film has an interesting degree of tension that is maintained throughout.
- Nothing new from a conceptual point of view.
- The themes (sense of guilt / parent-child relationship) are somewhat drowned by the “diabolical” garment that the film pursues.
- The editing, in some scenes, seems sketchy.
- The acting (due to the nature of the characters) is a bit summary and gooey – except for the character of the priest (Xander Berkeley).
Do we recommend it?
Why not?
If you are looking for a film that can deliver a physical sensation of constant tension, rather than a film that leaves an indelible mark in your mind, The Dark and the Wicked is a rather interesting film. In fact, it is a film that has an excellent visual setting for what concerns the choices of angles and camera movements (but also of the slow and sometimes staid rhythm) that ensure a high dose of tension as the viewer does not know what he will find at the end of any of the camera movements, but rather expects – as per “genre memory” – a scare.
It definitely has some downsides (even in the realisation: eg the feeling that the editing has been sketched), and its conceptual theme seems to be crushed by the “evil” presence which clearly becomes the commercial vehicle of the film (genre).
So, once we’ve briefly outlined some of its strengths and some of its shortcomings, if you find yourself on one of those empty evenings and are looking for some tension, this movie might be right for you.
At the bottom of the page you will find the trailer to decide for yourself whether to watch it or not.
Film Quote
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Trailer:
Now, nothing left to do here, you just have to go and watch it, unless you have something to say about this movie and you want to share it with us on this platform. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of the page and say whatever you want about the film. On this site, we are always happy to host others’ opinions on cinema.
Something else?
To read more of these film “pills”, please visit our dedicated section. Or, if you’re after a more-in-depth look at some films and/or filmmaking techniques more than just a few words, please have a look at our Film Analysis page.
