Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Rebecca must unlock the terror behind her little brother's experiences that once tested her sanity, bringing her face to face with a supernatural spirit attached to their mother.
Lights Out is a competent supernatural horror expansion of its viral short film premise. The fear-of-the-dark concept is cleverly exploited and the film sustains genuine tension through its central gimmick. Acting is serviceable with Maria Bello doing solid work as the troubled mother. Cinematography effectively uses light and shadow to build dread. However, the plot relies on fairly standard haunted-family tropes and the ending feels abrupt and narratively unsatisfying, leaning on a controversial resolution that undercuts its emotional buildup. Novelty is modest — the light-based mechanic is inventive but the surrounding story is formulaic horror fare.