Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Dahlia and her five-year-old daughter are ready to begin a new life together. But their new apartment — dilapidated and worn — suddenly seems to take on a life of its own. Mysterious noises, persistent leaks of dark water and other strange happenings send Dahlia on a haunting and mystifying pursuit — one that unleashes a torrent of living nightmares.
Dark Water (2005) is a competent but underwhelming American remake of Hideo Nakata's Japanese horror film. Jennifer Connelly delivers a committed performance as the emotionally fragile Dahlia, and the supporting cast (John C. Reilly, Tim Roth) adds texture. The cinematography leans into a damp, oppressive atmosphere that suits the material. However, the plot is derivative and slow-burning in ways that feel more tedious than tense, and as a remake it brings little new to the story. The ending offers modest emotional resonance but feels abrupt and unsatisfying for mainstream horror audiences. Overall a middling effort that fails to distinguish itself from its superior source material.