The Darkness

The first sign of paranormal activity experienced by the suburban family in filmmaker Greg McLean's Poltergeist-inspired horror movie is a foul odor, which is appropriate given that the film itself is an absolute stinker. The source of the trouble stems from a trip that the family—Peter (Kevin Bacon), Bronny (Radha Mitchell), and their children Stephanie (Lucy Fry) and Michael (David Mazouz)—take to the Grand Canyon, where autistic Michael (one of the more tasteless elements of the plot is a supposed connection between autism and the spirit world) discovers five odd rocks in a hidden cave, which he secretly brings home. The stones release demons that were confined by Anasazi priests—entities that emanate from the seething wall of Michael's room as “shadow creatures,” which eventually assume animal form and have a malignant effect on the family. Peter is tempted to have an affair; Bronny purchases multiple bottles of vodka; Stephanie goes bonkers when her mother discovers that she's bulimic; and Michael grows increasingly mesmerized by his visions, which threaten to carry him off to the shadow world. Fortunately Peter's boss (Paul Reiser) introduces Peter to an exorcist (Alma Martinez), who arrives to cleanse the house, leading to an orgy of mediocre visual effects in this derivative cinematic misfire. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include an alternate ending (9 min.), deleted scenes (10 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a ludicrous horror film.] (F. Swietek)