Thriller

Horror

Darkness Falls

Revolution Studios

Distant Corners Entertainment Group Inc.

Blue Star Productions

Village Roadshow Pictures

Morningstar Films

Australia

United States of America

English

Chaney Kley

Emma Caulfield

Lee Cormie

Sullivan Stapleton

Emily Browning

Angus Sampson

Grant Piro

Steve Mouzakis

Peter Curtin

Kestie Morassi

Jenny Lovell

John Stanton

Joshua Anderson

Rebecca McCauley

Jonathan Liebesman

John Fasano

James Vanderbilt

Joe Harris

Lou Arkoff

Derek Dauchy

Brian Tyler

Dan Laustsen

Timothy Alverson

Steve Mirkovich

Maura Fay

Lynne Ruthven

Anna Borghesi

Judy Bunn

Shane Phillips

Jane Summer-Eve

Rolland Pike

Todd Tucker

Jay Torta

Martin Turner

Richard Turton

Anthony Veith

Adrian Goodwin

Chris Hansford

Damian Heckendorf

George Liddle

Tom Nursey

Rebecca Cohen

Erica Wells

Diana Freeman

Tony Williams

Fergus Leese

Reece Cliff

Mario Peraic

Gregg Thomas

Martin Bruveris

Jenny Hitchcock

Paula Whiteway

Pamela Kahn

Frank E. Eulner

Steven Ticknor

Scott Guitteau

Jason W. Jennings

Randy Thom

Gary Rizzo

Lisa Wang

Damien Gray

Bernadette Hayes

Victoria Alonso

Debbie Denise

Murray Pope

Belinda Bennetts

Kevin J. Jolly

Dan Schmit

Harry Panagiotidis

Suzy Wood

Stephen F. Windon

Gillian Huxley

Keryn Ribbands

Gary Krause

Joe Lisanti

Lyn Jones

Jo Weeks

Fiona Searson

Alistair Reilly

Richard R. Hoover

William Sherak

Jason Shuman

John Hegeman

Lauren Kisilevsky

Irene Dobson

Brianna Seale

Rain Hart

Tov Belling

Cheryl Williams

Vivien Mepham

John Fox

Lance Beriman

Jim Conrads

Luke Green

Laura May Alcock

James Kalisch

Bradley Galgon

Suzanne Evans-Booth

Ben Faiman

Robert Elhai

John Schiefelbein

Jeff Vaughn

Ken Fischer

Steven Anthony Khoury

Christian Boudman

Keith Marbory

Brandon England

David Hunter

Lisa K. Fowle

Grayden Le Breton

This was an interesting watch. Though not great, it had moody ambience in spades, and I'm intrigued of what the future holds for director Liebesman. Worth a watch.

Life for a tooth. 

As a young boy, Kyle Walsh (Chaney Kley) claims to have seen the fearsome Tooth Fairy kill his own mother. He also claims that having seen her, she wont stop until she also kills him. Years later, and still haunted by the experience of that night, Kyle must return to Darkness Falls to aid his childhood sweetheart, Caitlin Greene (Emma Caulfield) and her kid brother Michael, the latter of which who seems to be at risk from the Tooth Fairy this time around. Can Kyle confront his fears and end the 150 years of terror that has blighted Darkness Falls?

Pretty much despised by the discerning horror-phile, Darkness Falls, to me at least, is a creepy, interesting and totally enjoyable thriller/ghost picture worth reappraisals. From the excellent, and chilling opening credits (where we nicely have a back story to work from), to the final confrontation, Darkness Falls ticks most of the ghostly requisites that is asked of it. Scary demon (troubled children with night terrors should be explored more in cinema I feel), cannon fodder bullies, cannon fodder obnoxious coppers and a constant sense of unease and dread. All of which is provided in Jonathan Liebesman's ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning") film. It's with the sense of dread that I feel that this deserves a better reputation. Hand on my heart I know the film isn't a scary boo jump picture, something that is unforgivable to many genre supporters, but atmosphere goes a long way to creating a good thriller/ghost story picture. Darkness Falls has it in spades, and it's also a film that is a nice antidote to the blood beast torture sub-genre of film that seep out from the multi-plexes on a seemingly weekly basis.

Any expectation of an outright horror film should be quickly extinguished prior to a first time viewing, and if noise annoys and staccato editing bugs you? well stay away. Also don't line up if one demands great acting in a budget restricted piece such as this, since both Kley & Caulfield are only adequate at best. But give it a go if you understand that a preposterous plot, and preposterous set pieces are a pre-requisite for horror films of this type. I say that since I've seen many comments decrying Darkness Falls for the unbelievable elements - only to then search their other comments to find praise for even more ludicrously plotted pieces! Or give it a go knowing it's more about the creeping stalking menace side of horror, or that it's also an action thriller as well as an uneasy story. Maybe just maybe you will enjoy it for what it is? Otherwise I guess you will be looking forward to "Hostel 22" or another "Jason Attacks The Eiffel Tower" movie... 7/10

**_Atmospheric chiller starts with potential, but falls apart in the second half_**

In the town of Darkness Falls (patterned after Fall River, Massachusetts), a kid named Kyle sees the legendary tooth fairy specter and is forced to go to an orphanage after his mother mysteriously perishes. Twelve years later, Kyle (Chaney Kley) returns to the town where the specter is wreaking havoc and he's jailed under false presumptions. Emma Caulfield plays the girl he left behind and Lee Cormie her little brother who has also seen the malevolent ghost and is therefore getting "treatment."

"Darkness Falls" (2003) is a haunting ghost flick that starts out very promising, but fails to take advantage of its resources and potential. The movie is enhanced by a quality apparition and an eerie vibe, similar to "The Ring" from the previous year, not to mention a strong and sympathetic protagonist played by Kley (who would pass away in his sleep four years later due to a breathing problem). Emily Browning is excellent as the 13 year-old girlfriend in the prologue, but Caulfield doesn't capture the character as an adult, although she's okay. Unfortunately she's literally the only prominent female in the movie, which is scandalous for a horror flick of this ilk.

The movie takes a bad turn around the midpoint when Kyle (Kley) makes it to the hospital just as the boy is about to undergo an experimental procedure, which is ultra-contrived, and the film never recovers. In fact, it goes off the rails and totally loses interest. Another negative is that too much of the story takes place indoors. The few outside sequences are effectively atmospheric, but the bulk of the movie takes place in hospitals, houses, a police station and lighthouse.

While the music is good during the end credits, they run for literally ten minutes, which is curious long for a horror flick that only runs 86 minutes. So, really, the story is only 76 minutes long. "Darkness Falls" might still be worth checking out for those who value the above positives, just don't expect anything good or great. Overall, it's okay at best, hampered by lousy elements that are stunningly amateurish (for one, glaring kinks needed worked out in the script).

The movie was shot in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, Australia, with establishing shots in Maine.

GRADE: C-

Darkness Falls (2003) Original Trailer [FHD]

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Darkness Falls

Cast & Crew

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Cast

Chaney Kley

Emma Caulfield

Lee Cormie

Sullivan Stapleton

Emily Browning

Angus Sampson

Grant Piro

Steve Mouzakis

Peter Curtin

Kestie Morassi

Box office

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