The Dark Hours (2005)

Too much of everything

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Goodman has an incurable brain tumour which was stable but has now began to grow. She retreats to her cottage for a break where her writer husband David and her younger sister Melody are staying. It all spirals into a hellishly insane movie: gripping, intriguing and paranoid.'The Dark Hours' is NOT a movie that everyone will appreciate. Those wanting a simple movie spoon fed to them should avoid like the plague. This is a trip into insanity with a non-linear narrative and multiple interpretations. It will frustrate those who aren't willing to give it thought and, perhaps, numerous viewings. If you enjoy the weirder David Lynch movies and films that mess with reality/non-reality like 'Jacob's Ladder' then you'll probably appreciate this low budget Canadian horror/thriller.It's a little on the short side and ends fairly abruptly which disappointed me at first, but the more thought I gave the movie the more I liked the it and its ending. You can end up thinking about it and discussing interpretations until you too feel like you're developing a brain tumour. I highly recommend it, just not to everyone.

The thirty and something years old psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Goodman (Kate Greenhouse) has an incurable brain tumor that has just started to grow. Felling totally stressed, she decides to spend the weekend in her cottage with her husband, the writer David Goodman (Gordon Currie), and her sister Melody (Iris Graham). She unexpectedly arrives in the cabin and finds a bottle of champagne in the refrigerator. Later, a young man, Adrian (Dov Tiefenbach), asks for help due to the cold weather and once in the house, he shows a gun and brings his partner, the violent sexual offender and Samantha's former patient Harlan Pyne (Aidan Devine). Along the night, Harlan forces the family to participate in twisted games, where truths are disclosed."The Dark Hours" is a tense and very well acted and directed thriller, having a surprising twist in the end. The process of madness of Dr. Samantha, using experimental drugs as her last chance to survive and having hallucinations, is impressive and very original. While watching the film, I was comparing the story with Michael Haneke's "Funny Game", but the plot point showing that jealous Samantha actually killed her husband and sister under the effect of the drug, and used her patient and his victim as a scapegoat to support the reality is refreshing. Unfortunately the Brazilian DVD is very poor, without any Extras or comments that might give further explanations of the screenplay. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Horas de Horror" ("Hours of Horror")

The first thing that I noticed while watching THE DARK HOURS, is that it felt like an amalgamation of several films that I've already seen. Most similar to Michael Haneke's FUNNY GAMES, there are also some elements that reminded me of the Australian film, THE UGLY, and a dash of FIGHT CLUB to round it out. Luckily, THE DARK HOURS never really came off like a direct rip of any of these films, but I can't say that I found the plot extremely original either. The second thing I noticed, was that even for someone like me who usually can't guess the outcome of films prior to their ending - this one was TOTALLY predictable.A female psychologist with a serious brain-tumor heads up to a cabin where her husband and sister are staying. The trio is greeted by a psychotic young man, and later by the psychiatrist's number-one patient - a psychopath who has the same brain-ailment. Things get tense for the group when the patient decides to play doctor and forces the family into participating in a few of his sadistic but revealing games...THE DARK HOURS is a decent way to blow an hour and a half, but I also wouldn't suggest expecting too much out of it. The acting and direction of this film is what saves it, as the performances add a lot of tension to what would otherwise be a derivative and extremely predictable film. A relatively solid film that would have been far better had it not played it's cards so early...7/10

This movie is not worthy of seeing. Don't waste your money on unimportant drivel like this.Kate Greenhouse stars as Samantha Goodman, a doctor at a psychiatric facility. She learns in the first few minutes of the film that she has an inoperable brain tumor whose progress has only increased over the past year. She has hallucinations and occasionally will blank out and see people's mouths moving, but hear no sound. That's the first sign of things to come. Hmmmm....doctor....growing brain tumor....regular hallucinations....welcome to the stupid and predictable plot of The Dark Hours.Sam calls up her husband on the phone (she hallucinates that he's in her office talking to her) and tells him she wants to spend the weekend with him. He knows she is sick and has a tumor, but he is not aware of the results she's gotten from the most recent tests. He tells her that he is busy and he has to finish writing his book, so he can't. He will be too busy with her younger sister, who is apparently jobless and still living at home. She helps him "edit" his work.Sam leaves and proceeds to join them anyway at their cabin in the woods. Not long after she arrives, there is a knock at the door, and a stranger comes into the house. Then the unthinkable happens--a patient of Sam's who was in a coma and not likely to live suddenly shows up at their door too. Apparently the first guy is his accomplice, and they are out to torture and terrorize Sam and her family.What's going on here really? Will Sam be able to escape with her life? And what will happen to her husband and her little sister? You can find most of this info out from reading other reviews. I just thought I would add my 2 cents worth. I thought this movie was boring. The acting was poor, especially Sam's sister. The psychopathic drifter, the madman's apprentice, was also very corny and poorly acted. The plot twists were all supposed to be shocking revelations, but really they were simply predictable and staid. They've been done before, and better, in many other films. There was not a single moment of anything even resembling tension or scariness in this film.I got this film for free, so I can't complain about wanting my money back. However, to those of you who have not yet offered up your money, DON'T BOTHER! It's a huge waste of time. Go see something else that's more worthwhile, and leave this on the shelves where it belongs.