The Dark Hours (2005) User Reviews

We All Carry Our Ghosts With Us

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 2 April 2007]

The thirty and something years old psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Goodman (Kate Greenhouse) has an incurable brain tumor that has just started to grow. Felling totally stressed, she decides to spend the weekend in her cottage with her husband, the writer David Goodman (Gordon Currie), and her sister Melody (Iris Graham). She unexpectedly arrives in the cabin and finds a bottle of champagne in the refrigerator. Later, a young man, Adrian (Dov Tiefenbach), asks for help due to the cold weather and once in the house, he shows a gun and brings his partner, the violent sexual offender and Samantha's former patient Harlan Pyne (Aidan Devine). Along the night, Harlan forces the family to participate in twisted games, where truths are disclosed.

"The Dark Hours" is a tense and very well acted and directed thriller, having a surprising twist in the end. The process of madness of Dr. Samantha, using experimental drugs as her last chance to survive and having hallucinations, is impressive and very original. While watching the film, I was comparing the story with Michael Haneke's "Funny Game", but the plot point showing that jealous Samantha actually killed her husband and sister under the effect of the drug, and used her patient and his victim as a scapegoat to support the reality is refreshing. Unfortunately the Brazilian DVD is very poor, without any Extras or comments that might give further explanations of the screenplay. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Horas de Horror" ("Hours of Horror")

Well done, if slightly overrated, little horror thriller

[The_Void · 6/10 · 29 November 2005]

Some of the comments I've read about this movie so far seem to be a little too much on the positive side. While I'm not saying that this isn't a good film - as usual with obscure films made in countries other than the USA - there's a fair few people overrating it, when really it's just another variant on the idea used in Funny Games over a decade ago (which wasn't even original then), done with less panache and less to say. After a slow first twenty minutes, The Dark Hours finally gets going; and once it does get going, it does indeed become very thrilling, and it's easy to see why many people enjoyed it for that reason. The idea that the movie draws on mainly is the horror of having your space invaded by a maniac; and the film then dashes this central theme with ideas of immoral acts being justified and the horrors of the truth. The film follows psychiatrist Samantha Goodman as she travels to a small cabin in the woods to stay with her husband and sister. A young man who might be more than his mousy appearance suggests... soon interrupts their stay.

The thing I like most about this film is the isolated 'cabin in the woods' setting. Horror classic, The Evil Dead, proved that this setting is a great location for horror; and The Darks Hours is just one of the films to confirm that. The invaders force their innocent victims to partake in a series of macabre and terrifying games - and this too helps to add to the atmosphere that the movie is creating. Much like it did in Funny Games. The Dark Hours is brought to life by a talented cast of unknowns, and director Paul Fox proves his worth by getting good performances out of all of them. Kate Greenhouse takes the lead role and is backed up by the quartet of Aidan Devine, Gordon Currie, Iris Graham and Dov Tiefenbach. The acting here shows how good performances can enhance a script, as The Dark Hours works from a very basic plot that would be lost if the cast want up to the challenge of bring the characters to life. Overall, while you wont catch me describing this film as 'terrifying', 'brilliant' or even 'intelligent', The Dark Hours is definitely worth seeing as it pulls psychological horror together with shocking gore well, and represents a modest success for non-US obscure horror.

Ooooh Scary

[Spuzzlightyear · 6/10 · 17 October 2005]

The Dark Hours is an unbelievably brisk psychological scary movie that packs a lot of thrills into it's 80 minute running time. Although it's not generally the type of horror movie I like, it requires the audience to think a bit about what is going on, something which I'd rather not do in movies like this) Dark Hours is great because the lead actress, Kate Greenhouse, is great as the doctor who gets more then she bargained for when she makes a surprise visit to her ex and her sister. An ex-patient of hers also pays a visit, and he decides they're going to play some mind games, just like he endured in the clinic which he came from. Only the games have slightly sinister overtones..

All the acting is very good here. What a pleasure to see Dov Tiefenbach again. Loved him in The Delicate Art of Parking, so it was quite a surprise to see him play something nastier in this movie. Again Greenhouse is great, and all the cast pull together to make this movie a dynamite sit through.

A mind twisting journey of unanswered questions and multiple theories, an original and highly rewarding Horror/Thriller experience!

[nitzanhavoc · 7/10 · 17 November 2012]

If you're a Horror fan such as myself, you must have noticed by now that this profound underrated genre has a few different types of films, other than having a few sub-genres. The Dark Hours, a Canadian production, is much like a combination between Funny Games (where two psychopathic killers take a family hostage and forces then to play sadistic games) and any film (take your pick) where the protagonist can't tell fantasy from reality due to a mental condition.

In some films, the effects of fear and unpleasantness are achieved by frightening and startling the spectators, often using cheap cheats like sudden loud music. Not such is the case in The Dark Hours. In this film, the audience is, in a way, tortured along with the characters.

Nothing makes a good Horror film great like some unexpected and surprising twists. In this film - what at first bothered me was the fact that the questions asked aren't fully answered. Meaning, the audience can't know for sure what really happened, and what didn't. Eventually, I realized that this feature was exactly what made this film what it is.

What's real? What really happened, and what happened only in the protagonist's imagination? Come the film's end - you'll be debating with your friends (or yourself), as the film provides "half-proofs" to support or disprove any theory.

Personally, I prefer it when the twists and endings of films do in fact answer all the the questions the original story plants in the spectators' minds, making us go "Ohhhhhh, now I get it!". Still, I really appreciate the M.O this film uses to invoke confusion and despair.

I do think tagging this film "sci-fi" is pretty inaccurate, but I guess this is a matter of personal interpretation like almost everything else about it.

All in all, The Dark Hours proved to be an original and mind-blowing film, taking the audience for a ride of questions and confusion. For me - that has really done the trick. Very highly recommended for any Horror fan who enjoys it when films successfully mess with their minds!

Lead protagonist hard to emphasize with.

[phoenixandrew · 6/10 · 24 October 2005]

Saw this film at the International Horror & Sci-Fi Festival in Tempe, Arizona over the weekend. This film is about an angry Nurse Ratched-like psychiatrist in which she and her husband and younger sister are taken hostage at gunpoint at their winter cottage by one of her former patients in which he accuses her of conducting unethical experiments on him. The family is put through physical and psychological abuse by the captor and his young inferior follower. However, not everything is as it seems ...

The film follows the tradition of Roman Polanski psychological horror. It is also an indictment against corrupt professionals in the mental health field, as the psychiatrist is not a sympathetic character, which led this viewer to take sides with the hostage takers. Since the former patient is clearly the real victim here, it was impossible to feel any empathy for both the psychiatrist and her family.

The performances, especially by Aiden Devine as the patient, were excellent, however don't see this film with the expectation that you'll be rooting for the good guys.

An Impressive Horror Thriller

[Crap_Connoisseur · 13 May 2006]

The Dark Hours is one of those rare horror films that takes itself and its audience seriously. There is no black humour, no manic referencing of horror classics and no "someone-is-about-to-get-diced" eerie music. As a result, Paul Fox has succeeded where most American film directors have failed - in making a scary movie that is actually scary.

This film reminds me somewhat of Alexandre Aja's hugely over-hyped "Haute Tension". Both films contain violent home invasion scenarios, which are subsequently turned upside down by revelations about the sanity of the protagonists. In this case, the central character, Samantha, joins her husband and sister for a weekend in their remote cabin. Unfortunately, their stay is well and truly ruined by the appearance of Harlan; an ex-patient of Samantha's intent on revenge. As the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly ambiguous as to whether Harlan is real or a projection of Samantha's own psychosis. The reason why I find The Dark Hours superior to "Haute Tension" is that within this film's (albeit unlikely) parameters, the plot twist not only makes sense, it also serves to raise the suspense. Neither of which can be said for the events in Aja's film.

Gore hounds need not be concerned. This is not a lame "psychological" thriller. The Dark Hours contains a significant amount of gritty violence and one startling act of self-mutilation. The gore effects are uniformly well done and horror fans will enjoy several unexpectedly grim plot developments. The bloodshed is balance nicely by the terror of Harlan's games (his interpretation of "Truth or Dare" was a highlight) and the uncertainty about Samantha's own mental state.

The performances are generally very good. Kate Greenhouse is a revelation as Samantha. Hopefully she'll be leaving Canada for Hollywood in the not too distant future. Aidan Devine is another standout as Harlan. This actor has been under-appreciated for far too long. Harlan is yet another memorable character to add to his long list. The supporting cast is not as impressive. The actors who play Samantha's husband and sister are rather dismal. Their responses during the "Truth or Dare" game are unintentionally amusing, which was really quite a feat given the context. Paul Fox contributes to the film's success with his stylish direction, particularly his innovative use of sound effects and editing.

The Dark Hours leaves a number of questions unanswered. You do not have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find holes in the plot, even if they are neatly camouflaged by flashbacks and clever editing. Despite these faults, I enjoyed the film immensely. I just wish someone could tell me what that damn noise in the attic was meant to signify.

Good story + good acting = good movie

[tkimtdo · 7/10 · 13 November 2005]

I enjoyed this movie. It was worth watching. Good acting both by Kate Greenhouse and Aiden Devine. Aiden was especially believable in his character. It was interesting to get to know the characters as the movie progressed and evolved and learn that the "good" characters was not so clean-cut and that the "bad" characters were in fact very identifiable to the mass audience. Good story line. It had a twist in the end that was quite enjoyable. I love movies that keeps you guessing and is not predictable. I just saw Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen "Derailed" yesterday and I was able to predict everything in the first 10 minutes. It was sad. Things were not tied up in a pretty, neat, little bow in the end as a lot of Hollywood movies tend to do. There were scenes and facets of the movie that could have been polished up a bit but in all it was a good movie. Finally a Canadian production that is in contention with what Hollywood is producing. I recommend all to go watch this movie to not only support a Canadian production but to enjoy a good movie.

Absolutely atrocious

[ktotheirbee · 1/10 · 4 June 2006]

The movie was one of the, if not the worst I have ever seen in my life. Tried to be too smart, ended up being very distasteful and appalling.

There was no clear end, and the movie was far too short to have any real defined plot. The ending was almost predictable from the moment you see the tumor on the screen in the opening shot.

All in all, acting was far too abrupt, not subtle. Characters were unbelievable and the shots gave away too much of the movie. The story really tried to be far too complex without really meaning anything, and a multitude of movie clichés lead to a quick giveaway of the "twist".

I would not recommend this movie to anyone.

Truly original and interesting film

[LoveGoodFlicks · 9/10 · 2 December 2005]

To anyone wanting to watch this film I have the following suggestions:- 1. Watch it with friends....you'll be debating the ending afterwards.

2. Don't expect glossy effects or graphics....this is a true psychological thriller.

3. Pay Attention....The more you put into this the more you'll get out of it.

4. Have an open mind to where the film leads you.

Frankly I have to say I think this is a little unknown gem. It was done on a shoestring budget and I suspect not many have heard of it...it deserves wider release.

To anyone on the crew or cast who may read this can I offer my compliments. Well and believably acted, good lighting, good cinematography, appropriate score, well written and a Director who has pulled it all together to produce a great tight crafted product.

Good job guys.....you made my weekend.

P

Much better than most people give it credit for. I liked it!

[Niki3333 · 7/10 · 3 June 2008]

If you only like films with big explosions and shallow story lines, this isn't the film for you. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, twists and turns, indie, low-budget gems, then you will be pleasantly surprised. I am an avid film-lover, from the big Hollywood productions to the indie hand-held labors of love.

This is an intense, complex, psychological thriller that is acted very well. The direction and cinematography impressed me a great deal. I don't find many films with smart, layered scripts. For the first 15 minutes, I was a bit off-kilter. It did jump around. But, I found if I just relaxed and didn't try to figure everything out, the film ended up more enjoyable. It doesn't spell it out for you or hold your hand the way that most big budget films do. This is a thinking person's film.

Unlike some of the reviewers, I didn't find the ending confusing at all. I will say, though, that I did not like the alternate ending. While it was well-done, I thought it completely changed the tone and meaning of the story. I am one of those people who don't need a "happy ending" with all the questions tied up in a little bow. I like a little mystery. I like to stretch my mind.

There were some disturbing scenes in the film that may put some people off. Without giving too much away, the dog thing was very hard for me to watch. It was one of those, "it's only a movie!" moments for me. There is not much gore, but what there is, is cringe-worthy.

Overall, I recommend this film for those who want to mentally participate in the unfolding of a interesting and challenging story.

not sure why the rating is so high

[d_e_s · 3/10 · 5 July 2006]

This movie is not worthy of seeing. Don't waste your money on unimportant drivel like this.

Kate Greenhouse stars as Samantha Goodman, a doctor at a psychiatric facility. She learns in the first few minutes of the film that she has an inoperable brain tumor whose progress has only increased over the past year. She has hallucinations and occasionally will blank out and see people's mouths moving, but hear no sound. That's the first sign of things to come. Hmmmm....doctor....growing brain tumor....regular hallucinations....welcome to the stupid and predictable plot of The Dark Hours.

Sam calls up her husband on the phone (she hallucinates that he's in her office talking to her) and tells him she wants to spend the weekend with him. He knows she is sick and has a tumor, but he is not aware of the results she's gotten from the most recent tests. He tells her that he is busy and he has to finish writing his book, so he can't. He will be too busy with her younger sister, who is apparently jobless and still living at home. She helps him "edit" his work.

Sam leaves and proceeds to join them anyway at their cabin in the woods. Not long after she arrives, there is a knock at the door, and a stranger comes into the house. Then the unthinkable happens--a patient of Sam's who was in a coma and not likely to live suddenly shows up at their door too. Apparently the first guy is his accomplice, and they are out to torture and terrorize Sam and her family.

What's going on here really? Will Sam be able to escape with her life? And what will happen to her husband and her little sister? You can find most of this info out from reading other reviews. I just thought I would add my 2 cents worth. I thought this movie was boring. The acting was poor, especially Sam's sister. The psychopathic drifter, the madman's apprentice, was also very corny and poorly acted. The plot twists were all supposed to be shocking revelations, but really they were simply predictable and staid. They've been done before, and better, in many other films. There was not a single moment of anything even resembling tension or scariness in this film.

I got this film for free, so I can't complain about wanting my money back. However, to those of you who have not yet offered up your money, DON'T BOTHER! It's a huge waste of time. Go see something else that's more worthwhile, and leave this on the shelves where it belongs.

A cool little Canadian horror film.

[A_Roode · 8/10 · 25 July 2006]

This is the kind of film that bitterly divides an audience. It has a complex script that teeters precariously close to the edge of convolution and being too clever for its own good. And yet for those who like it -- I count myself among their number -- 'The Dark Hours' is the kind of film that stays with you for a long time after you've finished watching it as you chew over its possibilities again and again. It is a fascinating epistemological exercise.

What I like about this movie is what may actually be more aggravating for others. I like that it doesn't tie up very nicely with an easy explanation. We, as an audience, can't actually know for sure what happens with certainty. The beauty of the film (aside from a stellar acting job by the always excellent Aidan Devine) is the use of an unreliable perspective. We learn through the course of the script that the doctor is terminally ill with cancer and that she is treating herself illegally with an experimental drug. The drug has a huge plus in that stops tumors from growing and spreading. Of course it also has two major negative side effects: hallucinatory visions and an eventual coma from which no emergence seems probable. The Doctor's view of the world (and by extension ours) is compromised by the time she gets to the restaurant and begins to hallucinate. By the end of the film everything we see is untrustworthy and suspect.

Return now to this notion of not actually knowing what goes on. It does seem fairly clear that she either suspects or discovers an adulterous affair between her husband and sister. It also seems fairly certain that when she goes into the bathroom she overdoses on the drug. Does she commit suicide after confessing her illness to her husband and sister, or, with psychopathic Harlan acting as a messenger from her subconscious, does she discover in her coma that she has stumbled on to the lovers and murdered them in a moment of insanity with an axe? I lean towards the first possibility since it explains the rattling of the doorknob that she interprets as mice in the attic. There are many strong cases to be made for the other. The important thing though is to give 'The Dark Hours' a chance. The script doesn't really know that answer but the fun of knowing that you can't really know what happened doesn't bother me. Throw in a lightening quick pace and great tension to compliment very good performances from both Kate Greenhouse and Aidan Devine and I think you've got a pretty good movie to invest your time in.

Not a disappointment as I expected

[vladimircho · 6/10 · 21 December 2005]

I started to watch the movie with the thought to go to sleep in the middle of it. This was about to happened because the first part of the movie is not so "catching", but I don't regret staying awake to watch it.

But, including this, at the end I can say that the first half was better than the second. Once you understand what is happening, you may as well not watch the movie to the end.

The interesting here is more the psychological part, which is mostly at the beginning. Once when you start to think what is really happening, it is not so hard to get 2+2. I can say, after all bad movies, supposed to be horror this year, this was not a disappointment, but however, the movie could've been done much much better. This movie goes far away from the caches, created in this year, but i still think the script was written too fast, instead of making the movie go further and may be even a bit more complicated. It is annoying watching the rest of the movie knowing what is gonna happened, and at the end realizing you were all right, but despite all the bad things I wrote, the movie succeeded keeping me awake and I think that the movie deserves to be watched.

Overrated Indie Film

[cmccarth · 4/10 · 10 May 2006]

Well after the reading the reviews on here I thought i'd give this film a go. Well to say I was disappointed is an understatement. I thought the acting was consistently poor, especially by the guys playing the husband and hostage taker. With only the doctor being anywhere near believable. I certainly didn't find it as upsetting as some of the other reviewers on here. It almost reminded me of a made for TV movie at certain points. The sex scene was pretty lame to say the least and was a personal low-point in the acting stakes. Not a particularly remarkable movie in any way unfortunately. A nice idea though, I believe it could have been much better.

The guy is f**kin nuts!

[sol1218 · 7/10 · 25 May 2009]

***SPOILER ALERT*** Excellent psychological thriller involving psychiatrist and doctor Samantha-or just plain Sam- Goodman, Kate Greenhouse, who gets involved with one of her former patients gay serial murder Harlan Pyne, Aidan Devine, and his accomplice the creepy and rodent-looking Adrian, Dov Tiefenbach.

The two break into Sam and her husbands writer David's, Gordon Currie, cottage where their spending the weekend together with Sam's kid sister Melody, Iris Graham, talking over old times. It turns out that Harlan has been very upset with Sam in her series of mind games that she played with him back in the mental institution. Now with him having her, together with David & Melody, where he wants them Harlan decides to give Sam a taste of her own medicine.

We learned earlier in the film that Sam is suffering from a malignant cancerous Ruckman brain tumor that's expected to take her life within a year. Taking large doses of Demenopril, the only medication that can possibly shrink the tumor, has Sam's mind play tricks on Sam that plays right into the sick and murderous games that Harlan has in store for her!

***SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON***These mind games that Harlan plays with Sam as well as David and Melody together with the drug Demenpril distorts Sam's sense of reality to the point where she envisions that David and Melody are having a affair behind her back.

The second half of the movie has Sam completely lose it in that her sense of guilt, in her feeling that she miss-evaluated Harlan back in the mental institution, and her suspicions of her husbands and sisters infidelity leads her to do unspeakable things to herself. When it's-the nightmare- finally over Sam realizes that her mind,effected by her brain tumor, had more to do with her uncontrollable paranoia then even Harlan did! And it was that paranoia that not only caused Sam to lose her mind but her life as well!

P.S Despite being one of the better psychological horror dramas released back in 2005 ""The Dark Hours" only generated a meager $423.00 at the box office during it's entire release. Released in just one theater, The Two Boots Pioneer Theater on East 3rd Street, in Manhattan's East Village on October 13, 2005 the movie barley lasted a week! Even though it received favorable reviews from prestigious newspapers like the NY Times as well as other media outlets. It's surprising that the film wasn't released straight to video-or DVD-where it would have made a much better, together with word of mouth, showing.

A perfect villain, a tired plot vehicle.

[dilbertsuperman · 7/10 · 25 February 2006]

The villain is what makes this movie good- he is truly bent in the head and has his audience of victims at full attention out in the middle of nowhere for added creepiness. THere are a few scenes that will make just about anyone cringe and there are some nice original plot twists that are pretty cool. Parts of this are sexual, parts of it gore-the way a horror movie should be. This is not supernatural, it is psychological. An ex patient looks up his hot blonde female doctor for a final psych session, against the doctor's will. Things get really confusing near the end so pay attention. Ow, my finger!

The cabin in the middle of nowhere is a rather tired plot vehicle, but oh well....

Tense But Predictable And Derivative Horror/Thriller...

[EVOL666 · 7/10 · 23 February 2007]

The first thing that I noticed while watching THE DARK HOURS, is that it felt like an amalgamation of several films that I've already seen. Most similar to Michael Haneke's FUNNY GAMES, there are also some elements that reminded me of the Australian film, THE UGLY, and a dash of FIGHT CLUB to round it out. Luckily, THE DARK HOURS never really came off like a direct rip of any of these films, but I can't say that I found the plot extremely original either. The second thing I noticed, was that even for someone like me who usually can't guess the outcome of films prior to their ending - this one was TOTALLY predictable.

A female psychologist with a serious brain-tumor heads up to a cabin where her husband and sister are staying. The trio is greeted by a psychotic young man, and later by the psychiatrist's number-one patient - a psychopath who has the same brain-ailment. Things get tense for the group when the patient decides to play doctor and forces the family into participating in a few of his sadistic but revealing games...

THE DARK HOURS is a decent way to blow an hour and a half, but I also wouldn't suggest expecting too much out of it. The acting and direction of this film is what saves it, as the performances add a lot of tension to what would otherwise be a derivative and extremely predictable film. A relatively solid film that would have been far better had it not played it's cards so early...7/10

Drastic Role Reversal

[rmax304823 · 5/10 · 14 February 2014]

A pretty, blond, impassive psychiatrist, Greenhouse, discovers that her inoperable brain tumor has begun to grow again. The only treatment is an experimental drug that has never been authorized for use in humans because it drove the mice crazy. Something like that. Out of desperation, Greenhouse begins to use it on herself, leading to some weird changes in her sensorium.

She returns home after examining her X rays, in which the tumor is helpful enough to have outlined itself with a broad white line, just in case she might have missed it. "Let's talk," she says to her amiable husband, Currie, an author working under a deadline. Not now, he tells her, because he has to retire to their dasha in the woods and get some work done.

He leaves. She thinks it over. The revelation of her tumor's newfound aggression is too important to wait, so she visits the cabin, where she finds him and her harmless teen-aged sister trying to get the facilities working.

The cabin is shortly invaded by two men, one of them an escaped patient whom Greenhouse had kept in isolation. There is a gun. There are a dozen attempted escapes. There is torture. There is a murder of a dog. There is reasoning and pleading, tears, anger.

The escaped patient, McFee, is now perfectly rational as he and his companion put the three hostages through various "games" that wind up in a blood bath and a suicide.

I didn't find it at all spooky, just tense and nasty in a familiar way, kind of like some marriages I know. The two invaders are products of Greenhouse's guilt for some unacceptable acts she has committed. At least I assume so. It gets a little twisted and confusing towards the end. Some of what is finally revealed is implausible.

It's a Canadian production and it shows. I don't mean the low production values, just the accents, the absence of skill in some of the performers, and the overall tonus of the thing. It's not the usual Lifetime Movie Network film though -- too many F bombs and a bit too much blood. With a bit of pruning it could easily have fit into that format. "Let's talk" is repeated three times. "We have to talk", once.

Without knowing why, I'm beginning to feel these things are really distasteful. Who wants to see people chopped up with an ax? Blood spattering all over the ax wielder? A similar situation in "Funny Games" has the invading murderers making jokes to the camera about their shenanigans. It's not funny at all but it's the kind of treatment these dumb movies deserve.

Finally a REAL horror film

[mademoiselle_end · 9/10 · 14 July 2005]

I just saw this film at the FanTasia film festival in Montreal and was blown away by it. I really didn't expect anything and was more than surprised with the professional quality of it. High praises go to the DP for amazing lightings and colours. The filmmakers were not shy on using efficient camera movements reminiscent of Kubrick's works. The music was discreet and up to the point, no cheap tricks were used here to scare us with a sudden raise in volume or other easy silly tricks we see way too often in Hollywood movies in recent years. The acting was flawless which is not only a sign of a great scriptwriter but of good direction of actors on behalf of the filmmaker. I have seen some pretty awful dialogue in some horror films which the actors obviously couldn't say with a straight face, so it's nice to see some great dialogues in a horror film! But my appreciation didn't stop with the technical aspects of it. It was a very efficient horror film in the sense that it produced raw emotions for the audience. It doesn't make us jump up in our seats, but it makes us cringe. This is why i call this a REAL horror film as opposed to an easy-to-do thriller. The ideas were original, the cutting of the scenes led us to think of different possible ways the story could unfold, and kept us interested till the end.

Really this is a MUST SEE film. Being a Canadian film, I do hope they will get good distribution and that the world will be able to see this. This team of filmmakers and actors will go far. Keep their names in mind because I would bet that we'll be hearing them a lot in the future.

disappointing

[mikemcenroe · 5/10 · 21 November 2005]

after reading the comments on here, i decided to watch The Dark Hours, the first half hour was quite interesting, i did like the scenes in the hospital but as you find out more about the main character things become painfully obvious, the needle marks on her thigh, the blackouts etc you realise that something is not quite right, by the time we get to the cabin and she hears the noises i had realised what was about to happen, the arrival of Aiden Devine livens things up a bit but i found the rest of the film rather transparent, i'd seen things like this before, Session 9 sprang to mind plus numerous other psychodrama's...

On the plus side, the acting was quite good as was the look of the film, but overall disappointing.. I feel most of the other comments on here may have had a vested interest in the film to praise it so highly P.S.

the bit with the dog was both the highpoint and lowpoint of this film for me, where did the gun come from?

Excellent

[suspie · 10/10 · 12 June 2005]

I just saw this film at the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival and was very surprised by it. It starts out as a cold psychological thriller, then turns into a very tense thriller and then becomes something... well, you just have to experience it, I guess.

I must admit, just as I had with Pi, I don't get all the plots turns and twists. But, just as with Pi, it doesn't matter. As a whole the film is very satisfying and enters some dark, new grounds. Plus its combination of visceral gore and psychological terror works very, very effectively.

As you probably have noticed by now, I'm not telling anything about the story. Just take the ride. It's worth it.

sometimes too many twists ...

[necrosblood · 4/10 · 21 August 2006]

can really kill a movie. I was into this movie with a certain amount of curiosity. It kept me interested. Then it all broke lose. Take away the last fifteen or twenty minutes of the show and it is all good. Some, not a lot, of good gore was shown in this flick. That was one of the reasons i could not turn off the movie toward the end. I do not understand why people have to screw up a fair movie with so many plot twists and so much weird stuff going on. Leave it alone if it is working out! Quit ruining movies like this Hollywood! Actually we can blame Canada for this one. Anyhow, this is worth a watch if you can keep from banging your head into the wall during the last part of the movie. Would have scored higher for me if the ending was better.

This will just keep on getting worse

[CineCritic2517 · 1/10 · 7 September 2006]

I just stopped my VCR. I'm now about a half hour into the movie and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to see any more if this crap.

They already had like a zillion opportunities to grab the gun and be on with their merry little lives but now the gun is practically handed to them. What do they do, they ask the gunman if he's been abused as a kid or something I don't know exactly, I stopped the VCR in the middle of the question.

That's not a minor defect in the story, it is what is completely ruining it. It's for everyone to see and yet this flick gets a 6.4 and the first comment about this movie states "excellent".

I'm moving to another planet. cheers!

Hits the spot

[dosanjh1 · 10/10 · 6 December 2005]

Kate Greenhouse is a good looking, successful doctor who looks after criminally insane psychopaths in a mental institute. At the beginning of the film she has to assess a mental and decide if he's worthy for release. The relevance of this scene to the rest of the picture is notional but we are immediately aware that she has massive power over certain people.

She is sick. She has a rare brain tumour. There is a cure but its not legit and it's not safe. Luck deals her an ace when she's given a patient / prisoner / mental who has the same condition as her. She tests the cure on him.

She goes away for the weekend to surprise her sappy, writer husband in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere. He's there with her younger gorgeous sister (give me the name of any women who would "authorise" that and then give me her number). She confronts them with her illness and everyone is shocked and depressed.

Then there is a knock on the door....

This film was a complete shock to me. I was not expecting a claustrophobic, horror, physiological thriller. It actually scared me in places and I am one of those people who have come to the opinion that movies are not scary anymore.

I thought about this one for a long time. It is now precious to me.

Not very memorable!

[chrichtonsworld · 5/10 · 31 October 2006]

When I came across the title I had The Dark in mind. It had Sean Bean and Maria Bello and looked like the more interesting one. But that one turned out to be quite awful. Hence I felt eager to give The Dark Hours a chance. Surely a psychological thriller would be more interesting than your typical supernatural horror? But I have to say that this wasn't the case. The Dark Hours does begin very interesting but ends up a very flat story. I have problems with the fact that this movie is being called a psychological thriller. For me a thriller has to do certain things to be categorized as one. It should do more than just feature a character with psychological issues. Preferably it should tell you a story with twists and turns (that aren't obvious) in order to play with the viewers mind and give the viewer something to think about. Or in the least give you a viewing experience that puts you on this thrill ride (whether it is realistic or far fetched). Especially if the ride is full of unpredictable and surprising moments. Let's be real here. Psychology while mostly interesting and compelling can be downright boring if it is too average and predictable. So how does The Dark Hours fare? Sadly this film doesn't deliver on what is promised. It uses some nice tricks, but too much is given away very early on and you just know something is wrong with one of the persons involved. Just look at the trailer underneath where that plot element is given away. If they had excluded this or not addressed this as profoundly then maybe it would have been shocking. Now I must admit the trailer does suggest that the film is focused on terror and therefore could have been very thrilling. If only they had kept the viewer guessing of what really was going on and make you doubt constantly to know what is real or not. And to then be served with the conclusion they give you certainly would have made an impact. There are a lot of flaws in the plot which could be forgiven if real surprises were in store for the viewer. But people, the movie doesn't offer much on this front. It has some gory moments. Only not done in a matter that could be considered exciting. Despite I could appreciate the attempt to make this kind of thriller.

So what are my thoughts now (in 2016)? Honestly, I can't even remember the title let alone that I have seen it. Craziest thing is that I can recall having seen the more awful The Dark. I think I also should have added that a psychological thriller at least should be memorable. The Dark Hours isn't by a long shot. Now this could be one that would be perfect for very late night viewings. You know when you already are half asleep but conscious enough to follow a story. Other than that I can't recommend this at all.