Ensign Lestat's Film Log, 31/01/2012
'The Darkest Hour' was on our list of films to catch for no particular reason. It looked like your everyday average disaster film, but in 3D. I can't say I was expecting much as I went in, and well, I was definitely not wrong.
From the off, TDH tries to be different from every other youngsters-stuck-in-a-disaster film that's gone before it. We are introduced to the two male protagonists who are on their way to Moscow to close a business deal with their Swedish partner, Skylar. That is definitely more innovative than drunken party-goers in the heart of New York/ LA/ random American city. But, unfortunately, that is where the innovation ends.
Our protagonists are in a night club sooner than one can say "Hugh Jackman", which is where they meet with two girls, an American with her Australian friend. Their meeting is cut short by the appearance of aliens (who descend in similar fashion to another alien-invasion film, "Skyline", but I don't know if there are any other similarities between the two, as I couldn't sit through the latter). Anyway, panic ensues, but the four protagonists and Skylar are able to survive the alien attack by hiding in a cellar for several days (notice how the local Russians do not have the intelligence to do something similar).
Once they feel it's safe to emerge they attempt to head to the American Embassy, and later towards a building with a light on (signifying live human beings). Anyway, the five dodge several alien attacks and meet other groups of people on their way to the end of the film. Each group, interestingly, gives them a little bit of information about the aliens, which is supposed to be helpful to both the protagonists and the audience.
From my tepid summary and the lack of character names it is obvious just how much I enjoyed and was enthused by this film. In this day and age, I fail to see the need for creating uninteresting films with poorly written stock characters (surely one cannot commend a film who's characters are more annoying than the ones in 'Cloverfield'). I couldn't connect with the characters at all. Especially not the two females. They were pretty much the worst female characters I've come across on celluloid for a while. They spent the entire time hiding behind the two males, screeching and being inept at using their brains at all. Seriously! It's 2012 and the female characters aren't being proactive! That is not a trait to be reinforced to the public.
Also, it doesn't help that it was obvious which of the characters were going to get bumped off even before the first alien had landed. That is a suspension of disbelief-killer if ever I've seen one.
To top it all we were allegedly watching the film in 3D, but, of course, the 3D was non-existent. I know anything and everything is in 3D nowadays, but I don't think putting effort into making flying bits of alien brain come at the audience is worth the 3D tag.
I don't know what the reason behind creating disaster/ alien invasion films is, but what makes this genre successful is the knowledge that human beings are resilient and that when push comes to shove, we can all unite and come together as one society. Granted most disaster films are about a small group of people, but the messages are often about unity. What is the point of this particular film? I wish I knew.
Could this have been a good film - no not really. There can be nothing done to redeem it. Nothing about it is novel or new. It was a dreadful waste of my time and especially my money. But then again I should have seen that coming.
From the off, TDH tries to be different from every other youngsters-stuck-in-a-disaster film that's gone before it. We are introduced to the two male protagonists who are on their way to Moscow to close a business deal with their Swedish partner, Skylar. That is definitely more innovative than drunken party-goers in the heart of New York/ LA/ random American city. But, unfortunately, that is where the innovation ends.
Our protagonists are in a night club sooner than one can say "Hugh Jackman", which is where they meet with two girls, an American with her Australian friend. Their meeting is cut short by the appearance of aliens (who descend in similar fashion to another alien-invasion film, "Skyline", but I don't know if there are any other similarities between the two, as I couldn't sit through the latter). Anyway, panic ensues, but the four protagonists and Skylar are able to survive the alien attack by hiding in a cellar for several days (notice how the local Russians do not have the intelligence to do something similar).
Once they feel it's safe to emerge they attempt to head to the American Embassy, and later towards a building with a light on (signifying live human beings). Anyway, the five dodge several alien attacks and meet other groups of people on their way to the end of the film. Each group, interestingly, gives them a little bit of information about the aliens, which is supposed to be helpful to both the protagonists and the audience.
From my tepid summary and the lack of character names it is obvious just how much I enjoyed and was enthused by this film. In this day and age, I fail to see the need for creating uninteresting films with poorly written stock characters (surely one cannot commend a film who's characters are more annoying than the ones in 'Cloverfield'). I couldn't connect with the characters at all. Especially not the two females. They were pretty much the worst female characters I've come across on celluloid for a while. They spent the entire time hiding behind the two males, screeching and being inept at using their brains at all. Seriously! It's 2012 and the female characters aren't being proactive! That is not a trait to be reinforced to the public.
To top it all we were allegedly watching the film in 3D, but, of course, the 3D was non-existent. I know anything and everything is in 3D nowadays, but I don't think putting effort into making flying bits of alien brain come at the audience is worth the 3D tag.
I don't know what the reason behind creating disaster/ alien invasion films is, but what makes this genre successful is the knowledge that human beings are resilient and that when push comes to shove, we can all unite and come together as one society. Granted most disaster films are about a small group of people, but the messages are often about unity. What is the point of this particular film? I wish I knew.
Could this have been a good film - no not really. There can be nothing done to redeem it. Nothing about it is novel or new. It was a dreadful waste of my time and especially my money. But then again I should have seen that coming.
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