Despite what you might have heard about this movie, I’m here to tell you that Darkness Falls is a movie worth watching. It features excellent special effects which stood the test of time, a familiar story, a brooding atmosphere, and some actual scares. Yes, despite the somewhat over-the-top story, this is a scary movie. It wraps up our “turn-of-the-century” sleek horror movie wave, mentioned in Jeepers Creepers review. Ahh, all we needed was a Dark Castle Entertainment logo but sadly we didn’t get it.
Darkness Falls was Jonathan Liebesman’s directorial debut. He went on to direct The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Battle Los Angeles, although I think this is his best movie. Especially when compared to Battle Los Angeles. This is another mainstream horror movie, although the poster features an R rating, this is actually a PG-13 movie. The lack of gore was compensated with an intense atmosphere and one hell of a villain.
The Tooth Fairy looks nasty and scary as shit. I can only imagine how the young crowd reacted when they saw her. There were some sleepless nights after this movie, I guarantee you that. She was originally set to appear only in the final act, but studious thought that this wasn’t enough and added more appearances that actually made the difference. She’s the thing that pushes the movie forward. Liebesman used the Jaws approach, feeding us only glimpses of this scary entity until the big finale. However, I must add that The Tooth Fairy looks eerily similar to the main villain in a stylish French movie from 2001 Vidocq.
Darkness Falls, an ordinary small town has a secret to share. A long time ago, there was this widow, widow Matilda Dixon (still mourning for Merle) and she loved children. And the children loved her, especially when she gave them coins for lost teeth. However, a horrible fire left her face disfigured and soon the townsfolk turned on her, burning her at the stake. With her dying breath, she cursed the town, vowing revenge. Some 150 years later, she’s about to exact it.
If you’re looking for some cinematographic wonders or unique stories, Darkness Falls is not the movie for you. It features a simple story but it’s very easy to watch and follow. It’s perfect for those nights when you just want to follow some easygoing horror shit going on. Featuring fast pacing and a running time of just over 75 minutes, the movie will be over before you know it. And let’s just see if you’ll leisurely walk to the kitchen or bathroom after you’ve seen it.
It’s got this creepy vibe that makes it feel realistic despite the obviously insane plot. What I think happens is that it regresses you back to your childhood. We all remember when we were kids and were afraid of pretty much everything. Darkness Falls successfully emulates that environment and takes you back to your childhood. Add to this a small-town setting and you got yourself a winner.
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Writers: John Fasano, James Vanderbilt, Joe Harris
Cast: Chaney Kley, Emma Caulfield, Lee Cormie, Grant Piro, Steve Mouzakis
Fun Facts: The film went through five titles (“The Tooth Fairy”, “Don’t Peek”, “Fear of the Dark”, “The Tooth Fairy: The Ghost of Matilda Dixon” and “The Tooth Fairy: Every Legend Has Its Dark Side”) before it became Darkness Falls (2003).
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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0282209/
