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''The Darkness'' is a 2016 American
supernatural horror film Supernatural horror film is a film genre that combines aspects of supernatural film and horror film. Supernatural occurrences in such films often include ghosts and demons, and many supernatural horror films have elements of religion. Common them ...
, directed by Greg McLean and co-written by McLean, Shayne Armstrong, and Shane Krause. The film stars
Kevin Bacon Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. Known for various roles, including leading man characters, Bacon has received numerous accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Bacon made his featu ...
,
Radha Mitchell Radha Rani Amber Indigo Ananda Mitchell (born 12 November 1973) is an Australian actress. She began her career on television, playing Catherine O'Brien on the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' (1996–1997), before transitioning to working i ...
,
David Mazouz David Albert Mazouz (; born ) is an American actor, best known for his leading role as Bruce Wayne in Fox's Batman-prequel TV drama '' Gotham'' (2014–2019). Mazouz started his acting career with several guest roles before joining the Fox TV se ...
,
Lucy Fry Lucy Elizabeth Fry (born 14 March 1992) is an Australian actress. She is known for portraying Zoey in '' Lightning Point'', Lyla in '' Mako: Island of Secrets'', and Lissa Dragomir in the film ''Vampire Academy''. Fry was also cast in Hulu's ei ...
, Matt Walsh,
Jennifer Morrison Jennifer Marie Morrison (born April 12, 1979) is an American actress and director. She is most known for her roles as Dr. Allison Cameron in the medical-drama series ''House'' (2004–2012) and Emma Swan in the ABC adventure-fantasy series '' ...
,
Ming-Na Wen Ming-Na Wen (; born November 20, 1963) is an American actress and model. She has won multiple awards throughout her career, including an Annie Award and a Saturn Award, in addition to a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award. She was honore ...
and
Parker Mack Parker Mack Klebenow, known professionally as Parker Mack, is an American actor, writer, musician, and director, who is best known for his role as Finn Madill in the '' Freeform'' drama ''Chasing Life,'' and as Felix Turner in the MTV romantic ...
. The film is about a family who visits the
Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a mile (). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon Nati ...
and brings home a supernatural force that feeds off their fears and takes over their lives. Filming began in April 2014 in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
and ended in May the same year. Blumhouse Tilt and
High Top Releasing High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift to ...
released the film on May 13, 2016 (Friday the 13th). It received largely negative reviews from critics and grossed $10.9 million against a $4 million budget.


Plot

Peter and Bronny Taylor go on a vacation to the
Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a mile (). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon Nati ...
in Arizona with Stephanie, their
bulimic Bulimia nervosa, also known simply as bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating (eating large quantities of food in a short period of time, often feeling out of control) followed by compensatory behaviors, such as self-induc ...
teenage daughter, Mikey, their adolescent
autistic Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing di ...
son, and another family, the Carters. Mikey discovers a small
Kiva A kiva (also ''estufa'') is a space used by Puebloans for rites and political meetings, many of them associated with the kachina belief system. Among the modern Hopi and most other Pueblo peoples, "kiva" means a large room that is circula ...
cavern, where he finds black rocks with symbols on them. He takes the stones. When the Taylors return home, strange things begin to happen. Bronny finds that the kitchen taps keep turning on, and Stephanie sees handprints on a mirror, both of which Mikey blames on “Jenny.” After Stephanie gets home from school, she vomits into a container and puts it under her bed. Bronny catches her, and she and Peter learn that Stephanie has been throwing up for a while. They take her to a hospital for help, leaving Mikey at Bronny's mother's house. Bronny's mother finds Mikey trying to kill her cat, much to Peter’s disbelief. At home, Bronny searches online for answers to the strange activity and learns about the
Anasazi The Ancestral Puebloans, also known as Ancestral Pueblo peoples or the Basketmaker-Pueblo culture, were an ancient Native American culture of Pueblo peoples spanning the present-day Four Corners region of the United States, comprising southea ...
Indians, who believed that demons were bound to rocks hidden in caves. If the rocks are taken, the demons take the shape of a
crow A crow is a bird of the genus ''Corvus'', or more broadly, a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not linked scientifically to any certain trait but is rathe ...
,
snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...
,
coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans''), also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf, is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the Wolf, gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the c ...
,
wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, includin ...
, and
buffalo Buffalo most commonly refers to: * True buffalo or Bubalina, a subtribe of wild cattle, including most "Old World" buffalo, such as water buffalo * Bison, a genus of wild cattle, including the American buffalo * Buffalo, New York, a city in the n ...
. The family has already had encounters with a crow and a snake. The demons connect to young children who are dragged into their world, triggering an event known as 'The Darkness.' The only way they can be banished is if the rocks are returned to where they were found by someone who is not afraid. Bronny and Peter later find Mikey covered in black marks from a fire in his room, blood pouring from his mouth. Later that night, Bronny has a nightmare of a wolf. Depressed, she starts drinking. In Mikey's room, the fire-damaged part of the wall is revealed to be a portal. Stephanie is choked by handprints appearing all over her wall and body. In the treehouse, Peter sees a coyote and the shadow of a demon in Stephanie's window. The force stops choking Stephanie as he rushes in. He then breaks down Mikey's bathroom door and finds him with marks all over the walls and ceiling. Peter calls a number given to him by his boss. It belongs to a woman named Teresa, who is said to perform spiritual healings. Teresa comes over with her granddaughter, Gloria, who acts as an interpreter. As they cleanse the house, Teresa and Gloria go into Mikey's room and note that this is where the real evil lives. They recite a chant as Mikey tries to enter the portal. Peter sees Mikey walking into the portal with the demons. He finds the stones and follows Mikey into the portal but cannot set the stones down due to his fear. He offers to swap places with Mikey, but Mikey ends the event of 'The Darkness' by picking the rocks up and putting them back down, as he is not afraid. The demons are banished, and Peter and Mikey jump out of the portal together. It disappears, and Gloria declares that the house is clean of evil energy.


Cast

*
Kevin Bacon Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. Known for various roles, including leading man characters, Bacon has received numerous accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Bacon made his featu ...
as Peter Taylor *
Radha Mitchell Radha Rani Amber Indigo Ananda Mitchell (born 12 November 1973) is an Australian actress. She began her career on television, playing Catherine O'Brien on the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' (1996–1997), before transitioning to working i ...
as Bronny Taylor *
David Mazouz David Albert Mazouz (; born ) is an American actor, best known for his leading role as Bruce Wayne in Fox's Batman-prequel TV drama '' Gotham'' (2014–2019). Mazouz started his acting career with several guest roles before joining the Fox TV se ...
as Michael Taylor *
Lucy Fry Lucy Elizabeth Fry (born 14 March 1992) is an Australian actress. She is known for portraying Zoey in '' Lightning Point'', Lyla in '' Mako: Island of Secrets'', and Lissa Dragomir in the film ''Vampire Academy''. Fry was also cast in Hulu's ei ...
as Stephanie Taylor * Matt Walsh as Gary Carter *
Jennifer Morrison Jennifer Marie Morrison (born April 12, 1979) is an American actress and director. She is most known for her roles as Dr. Allison Cameron in the medical-drama series ''House'' (2004–2012) and Emma Swan in the ABC adventure-fantasy series '' ...
as Joy Carter *
Ming-Na Wen Ming-Na Wen (; born November 20, 1963) is an American actress and model. She has won multiple awards throughout her career, including an Annie Award and a Saturn Award, in addition to a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award. She was honore ...
as Wendy Richards *
Parker Mack Parker Mack Klebenow, known professionally as Parker Mack, is an American actor, writer, musician, and director, who is best known for his role as Finn Madill in the '' Freeform'' drama ''Chasing Life,'' and as Felix Turner in the MTV romantic ...
as Andrew Carter * Trian Long-Smith as Sammy Levin *
Paul Reiser Paul Reiser (; born March 30, 1956) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He played the roles of Michael Taylor in the 1980s sitcom ''My Two Dads'', Paul Buchman in the NBC sitcom ''Mad About You'', Modell in the 1982 film ''Diner (1982 f ...
as Simon Richards * Ilza Rosario Ponko as Gloria Ortega *
Tara Lynne Barr Tara Lynne Barr (born October 2, 1993) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Roxy in the dark comedy film ''God Bless America'' (2011), which earned her a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Leading Young Actress in a Feat ...
as Kat *
Judith McConnell Judith McConnell is an American actress, best known for her role as Sophia Wayne Capwell on the TV series '' Santa Barbara'', on which she appeared from 1984 to 1993. Early life and education McConnell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and ...
as Trish *
Krista Marie Yu Krista Marie Yu (born October 25, 1988) is an American actress best known for her roles on television. She played the main role of Molly Park on the ABC family sitcom ''Dr. Ken''. In August 2018, it was announced that Yu would play the recurring ...
as Tasha * Alma Martinez as Teresa Morales * A.J. Tannen as H. Quinlan


Production

On February 25, 2014,
Kevin Bacon Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. Known for various roles, including leading man characters, Bacon has received numerous accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Bacon made his featu ...
and
Radha Mitchell Radha Rani Amber Indigo Ananda Mitchell (born 12 November 1973) is an Australian actress. She began her career on television, playing Catherine O'Brien on the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' (1996–1997), before transitioning to working i ...
signed on to star in the film. On March 5, director Greg McLean stated, "The story is based on a true story that was relayed to me first-hand many years ago about an actual haunting." On April 11,
David Mazouz David Albert Mazouz (; born ) is an American actor, best known for his leading role as Bruce Wayne in Fox's Batman-prequel TV drama '' Gotham'' (2014–2019). Mazouz started his acting career with several guest roles before joining the Fox TV se ...
was added to the film. On May 6,
Ming-Na Wen Ming-Na Wen (; born November 20, 1963) is an American actress and model. She has won multiple awards throughout her career, including an Annie Award and a Saturn Award, in addition to a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award. She was honore ...
joined the cast of the film, and on May 7,
Lucy Fry Lucy Elizabeth Fry (born 14 March 1992) is an Australian actress. She is known for portraying Zoey in '' Lightning Point'', Lyla in '' Mako: Island of Secrets'', and Lissa Dragomir in the film ''Vampire Academy''. Fry was also cast in Hulu's ei ...
was added to the cast to play Stephanie, the Taylor family's daughter. Trian Long-Smith also joined the film on the same day, to play Sammy Levin, the savvy, bright and flirtatious intern working for Peter Taylor’s character. On May 9, Matt Walsh joined the cast of the film, to play Gary Carter.
Parker Mack Parker Mack Klebenow, known professionally as Parker Mack, is an American actor, writer, musician, and director, who is best known for his role as Finn Madill in the '' Freeform'' drama ''Chasing Life,'' and as Felix Turner in the MTV romantic ...
also joined the film. On May 14,
Jennifer Morrison Jennifer Marie Morrison (born April 12, 1979) is an American actress and director. She is most known for her roles as Dr. Allison Cameron in the medical-drama series ''House'' (2004–2012) and Emma Swan in the ABC adventure-fantasy series '' ...
was added to the cast to play Joy Carter, Gary's wife and also a mother of a child.


Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
began in April 2014 in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, and ended in May 2014. The film was shot with the camera Arri Alexa Plus 4:3, as revealed by cinematographer Toby Oliver.


Music

On June 2, 2014, Johnny Klimek was hired to score the film.


Reception


Box office

''The Darkness'' was projected to gross $3–5 million from 1,755 theaters in its opening weekend. The film grossed $206,000 from its Thursday night previews and $2.1 million on its first day. It went on to gross $4.9 million in its opening weekend, finishing 4th at the box office, behind '' Captain America: Civil War'' ($72.6 million), ''
The Jungle Book ''The Jungle Book'' is an 1894 collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, who ...
'' ($17.1 million), and fellow newcomer ''
Money Monster ''Money Monster'' is a 2016 American crime thriller film directed by Jodie Foster, from a screenplay by Jamie Linden, Alan Di Fiore, and Jim Kouf. It stars George Clooney as financial television host Lee Gates and Julia Roberts as his produce ...
'' ($14.8 million).


Critical response

On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the film has a rating of 3%, based on 35 reviews, with an average rating of 2.7/10. The site's consensus reads, "''The Darkness'' clumsily relies on an assortment of genre tropes, leaving only the decidedly non-frightening ghost of superior horror films in its wake." On
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, the film has a score of 27 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by
CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale. It is currently
Blumhouse Productions Blumhouse Productions, LLC, doing business as Blumhouse (; also known as BH Productions or simply BH), is an American independent film and television production company founded in 2000 by Jason Blum and Amy Israel. Blumhouse is known mainly fo ...
' worst reviewed film to date.


References


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Darkness, The 2016 films 2016 horror films American supernatural horror films Films about autism Films directed by Greg McLean Films produced by Jason Blum Films scored by Johnny Klimek Films set in Coconino County, Arizona Films shot in Los Angeles American supernatural thriller films Blumhouse Productions films Universal Pictures films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films English-language horror films