Quartile rating: 5/10 · 1 rating
A family returns from a Grand Canyon vacation with a supernatural presence in tow.
The Darkness is a largely forgettable supernatural horror that fails to distinguish itself in any meaningful way. The plot retreads well-worn haunted house territory without adding anything fresh, borrowing liberally from Poltergeist and similar fare. The acting from a reasonably capable cast (Kevin Bacon, Radha Mitchell) is undercut by thin characterization and a script that saddles them with tired domestic dysfunction subplots involving infidelity, bulimia, and an autistic child used more as a plot device than a character. The cinematography is competent but unremarkable, typical of mid-budget studio horror. The Native American folklore angle had potential for genuine novelty but is squandered in favor of generic jump-scare mechanics. The ending is particularly weak, resolving the supernatural threat in a rushed and unsatisfying manner that leaves little impression.