Dark Was the Night

Horror, Thriller

Available on VOD: 21 september 2015

Director: Jack Heller

Cast: Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Real Steel, Noah, Resident Evil: Retribution), Lukas Haas (Witness, Inception, Transcendence, Contraband), Bianca Kajlich (Rules of Engagement, Undateable, Halloween: Resurrection)

A long slumbering evil is awoken in the trees outside the remote town of Maiden Woods. Isolated and threatened, it sets its sights on the townspeople, as Sheriff Paul Shields (Kevin Durand) attempts to overcome the demons of his past, so that he may protect those that he loves.

• NYTimes.com: he sets a gruesome, heartbreaking tableau.
• CrypticRock.com: It is not often that viewers get all they hope for in a movie, but Dark Was the Night delivers what it promises. Seamless special effects and Hisel's extraordinary plot, complement the exceptional direction by Heller. The pair certainly make a force to be reckoned with in the movie genre. A must watch, with a surprise ending, CrypticRock gives Dark Was the Night 5 out of 5 stars.
• Filmpulse.net: Dark Was the Night is a well made creature feature. It does have a decent story, characters you can care about, strong acting and a creature you'll want to see more of. Genre fans should check this one out for sure.
• Culturecrypt.com: Dark Was the Night is a creature feature, but it is not about the creature. The focus is firmly on the human element, and thus, the restraint in the reveal is a boon instead of a hindrance. Suspense is achieved naturally with a steady-handed camera and sure-footed directing, both of which keep the film grounded in a sense of reality. Without gore and with no significant human body count to speak of, the film instead finds an organic approach to fostering fright with a slowly smoldering style. It doesn't break the monster movie mold, but does fill it to capacity with eerie atmosphere and creeping chills elevated by terrific acting. 8/10.
• Best-horror-movies.com: See it. See it. See it! I'm afraid I must insist!
• Bttm.co.uk: Another wonderful addition to Screamfest, great cinematography, fine performances from the leading man and lady and full credit to Jack and the team for pulling off a creature feature that has some deep emotion running through its veins. A strong piece of cinema and a joy to watch.
• Craveonline.com: Dark Was the Night is a superb emotional drama about a family coping with a loss. It is an exquisite creature feature too, but I would have totally just watched the family drama. Durand is an absolutely compelling leading man, and what makes the Shieldses so riveting is that they talk intelligently about their psychological issues. Dark Was the Night absolutely deserves to be seen on the big screen, so I hope an ambitious distributor is listening.
• Chud.com: Dark Was the Night is like a combination of John Carpenter's The Fog and the 1988 remake of The Blob, with a dose of American folklore thrown in for good measure. This movie is an enjoyable and entertaining watch. Kevin Durand gives his all in this one and absolutely earns every bit of credit for this being his first starring role. Check it out!
• RogerEbert.com: Does, deliberately, build to a tense and sometimes jump-from-your-seat scary climax which finds most of the small town’s residents holed up in the local church, trying to nail down what has by this time been pretty firmly established as a bonafide monster stalking the local woods. And the quest is, it turns out, made more engaging by the guilt and self-doubt experienced by its main characters.

• Screamfest 2014 - Best Special Effects
• Screamfest 2014 - Best Visual Effects