Enter The Dark Review

This week I've been blessed to review not one but 2 independent horror movies. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Taint" and therefore, I had high hopes for "Enter the Dark" just because I'm growing to love more and more indie horror.

Enter The Dark is a film about two friends that find a very scary situation in their home. The premise seemed a bit light, but the execution is so good, it's a shame this type of film making isn't getting more attention from those that have a lot of money. (I for one don't have any)

The look of the film took me aback. I'm not a film maker, so I can't tell you what cameras are being used, whether or not these guys are utilizing high technology, but I can say this much, it's better than most straight to dvd fare. The edits, the sequencing, the frame, everything here is done to perfection, and you'll swear that this film is made by a major studio. I'm not just paying lip service either, there is a combination of professional sequencing and editing placed here that makes the film work on a visual level, far better than 90% of the straight to dvd films I've seen in recent years from places like "Lionsgate" for example.

The acting is done well. You actually get a performance that isn't too "forced". Horror has a way of making actors look like cartoons, but in this film you get the notion that the characters are NOT acting but rather are just two guys going around a house looking for weird noises. Even the dialogue seems natural, and you never get stupid one liners, you actually start to feel as though you're there, especially with the pov style edits that puts you behind the lens of a handheld.

Get Scared in 17 Minutes

17 Minutes doesn't seem like enough time to set up a narrative, but it works. I didn't feel like I needed a lengthy back story to appreciate this scary short, in the 17 minutes that this film takes to showcase a scary movie, it does a great job in offering a scary feeling. In fact, the impact of the turns and the final sequences get the heart racing much faster than many films that take 90 minutes and longer to get the same effect.

The idea of darkness and sound alongside paranormal elements really do play on natural fears. I found myself a bit nervous at one point in particular, as one of the sounds in the film seemed to be coming from my neighbor's apartment...but alas, it was just my headphones.

No Gore, No Boobs, No Problem

Despite the fact that this horror film has NO major gratuitous shower scenes, no major sexual situations, and no major gross out effects, it still is very effective at what it does have. It has a very surreal, scary and realistic depiction of a universal fear that all of us have, even if we suppress it far below.

Todd Miro and his crew really make quite a unique journey, albeit short. It's a sonic achievement of style and horror, but in a very psychological way. The chaos of the final scenes melt away the set up and leave you wanting more. Enter the Dark is a very tight film, a short film, but a very tight film where nothing is wasted, and everything comes crashing in at the end. I liked it.

Here is a trailer for Enter The Dark:

Enter The Dark Trailer from Todd Miro on Vimeo.

You can learn more and watch Enter The Dark here.