Dark Skies

Being a director, you have to make a choice. Try and make a concept that works for the audience, or just make a movie to get a box office hit. I prefer directors that find different ways to make interesting motion pictures, without borrowing too much from other classics. James Wan is a perfect example. His first movie was groundbreaking, but it did not stop there. Dead Silence showed us once again why he is such a talented director, and then we were served Insidious with such great acting. It´s not easy putting a script together and make your vision look good. You have to have a clear image of what the audience would like to see. Director Scott Stewart tried to find an audience with both Legion and Priest, with very different results. And now he is back with a 3rd movie, in a completely different genre. Is Dark Skies a box office winner, or is Scott Stewart ready to throw in the towel ?

Daniel Barrett ( Josh Hamilton ) and his wife Lacy Barrett ( Keri Russell ) are hosting a barbecue. Their 2 sons Jessy Barrett ( Josh Hamilton ) and Sammy Barrot ( Kadan Rocket ) are pretending to sleep. while talking in walkie-talkies. That night as Lacy walks downstairs to the kitchen, she finds the fridge door open and food all over te floor. Thinking that this was an animal, they leave this behind. Next day Daniel have a job interview. He does not get the job, and since he is worried about the family economy, he does not tell Lucy the truth. That night Lucy walks down into the kitchen and is shocked. All of their canned and packed food are stacked up in towers. Worried that someone broke into their home, Lucy contact the police, just to make sure. No signs of anyone being in the house, police can´t help the family, but suggest they switch the house alarm on, just in case. Next night the alarm system goes wild, no signs of anyone breaking in, Daniel and Lucy are worried about what is going on in their home. For each day, more strange things happen, and no one seems to know why. Is someone responsible for this, or is there another explanation?

Comparing this movie with Legion and Priest is very easy. You could say Scott Stewart seem to be interested in the unknown, since these influences are clearly seen while you are watching Dark Skies. And i have to say, i had no expectations, and still this turns out to be surprisingly good. Maybe a bit slow at times, but still a descent try to take on a supernatural story. Instead of using lots of special effects like in the previous movies, the plot is more focused on the events around the family. At first i felt like this was another version of Insidious, but thankfully the storyline changes along the way. Dark Skies may not be very original, but the ingredients put together gives us a steady piece of work, for those who appreciate horror made with a heart, instead of horror made for boxoffice profit only. Not much more to say, but you should give Dark Skies a chance, and you might also be surprised.

Rating: DDD