Super Dark Times

source: Super Dark Times

Ok, the regular review, a moderate film with a really strong and entertaining first act that swooshes its way down a slope to a somewhat implausible and really unexplained ending. Good enough to watch but a bit disappointing. Alternative review IF, I say IF you watch the movie then read some theories/ending explained stuff you will come upon an interesting theory about the movie. I won't spoil it here by explaining. Now maybe when ppl are explaining the theory they find enough film (you can watch on youtube) proof to sound plausible, perhaps not. The theory is genius. AND IF real would make this a far better and cleverer movie than review number 1. I don't buy the theory so for me its review number 1, a so so movie. But make up your own mind watch the movie, then watch the theory, even if you don't buy it, it does make the overall movie better because the theories give you something else to think about...

I got the impression the film was made on a low budget. That's cool. Sometimes the lower the budget the better the film. The 2 male characters were established well (in the beginning - I'll come back to this). I don't know whether the supporting cast were kept two-dimensional for a reason, but it gave me the impression that I was living the life of the male lead in this film. We meet some of his random friends, his love interest, but their characters depth was not revealed to the audience. You know how in high school, you run into a few people you get along with throughout the day, then you don't see them again for the rest of it? Well, there were plenty of people in this film that popped up for two or three scenes, appeared to be a significant character but didn't really contribute much at all by the end. That had their place, albeit short lived. I enjoyed the realism of the initial two thirds of the film. It was kind of slow but I liked that. I liked how the teens go home to mum and dinner of a night, and parents get worried for their kids. I felt the main characters mum was going to have a significant moment in the storyline but that never came. She was very involved in her sons life, and when his mood and behaviour changed due to an unfortunate event (his dirty secret), I got the impression she could sense something was up but this was never explored. My main concern with this film is the so-called antagonist. I don't think he was set-up well to become the antagonist. I noticed the protagonist becoming concerned about his mates behaviour - the few times he saw him. I'm guessing it was because the protagonists' friend was distancing himself so much after their dirty secret, that was the most concerning for the protagonist, and later his paranoia or suspicions that his friend might be involved in some other dirty deeds - which for me, seemed well out of character for the antagonist. I paused the film twice to go out for a smoke and I was wondering if I'd skipped a huge part when I reached a scene towards the end and the antagonist has become homicidal. Since when? Why? I can guess why but there wasn't much of a story to support it. If there had been, I'd be giving this film a 7 out of 10. The characters were likeable, and everything else in the film worked well for me. The teenage parties reminded me of the teenage parties I attended, weirdo's at school, chicks acting a little weird with pens etc. The opening scene may seem irrelevant to the film - BUT, on reflection, I'm inclined to believe that this may be the work of the antagonist who was may have always been a sociopath with a katana (Japanese sword).

Mostly chill teen drama of some boys hanging out till they find some things of a marine brother and things get dark fast. Not sure why others didn't like this movie but this is only my second time seeing to which I really enjoy it especially the atmospheric scenery is incredible! I crave teen movies for some reason. Kind of a memorable disturbing film that I'd recommend to anyone. A few didn't like the last act I think it's perfect the way it is!

This film gets points mostly for the execution of a familiar plot. Throughout the runtime all I could think about was how familiar the story is to other Teens gone bad films - especially MEAN CREEK, which I think is superior when it comes to heart. That being said, I don't think the objective of this film was to pull at your heartstrings the way that Mean Creek intended, but that's where the downfall lies in my opinion. The first act was nostalgic, hilarious, and I was really getting into the characters, then it devolved from there, delving into basic Slasher-Thriller territory. Still worth seeing though and it definitely has its moody moments and shots. The production and sound are fantastic, but I'm big on the story and to me it falls flat after the first act. -Also, I'm not sure if I missed something, but what the hell was up with the intro with the deer? I mean it could be seen as foreshadowing I guess, but that scene could've been cut out if you ask me.

I really liked this movie at the beginning and middle. However, the ending could have been a lot better and it seemed like there was something missing in the movie. The acting was really good, and the movie could have been a 10/10 besides those points. It left me unsatisfied. How and why did Josh randomly become a killer? He seemed so upset about the accidental killing of his friend, but then out of nowhere in the end starts murdering everyone? There's too many unanswered questions. Did anyone find Daryl's body in the end? What happened to Zach after almost being killed by his former best friend? I also don't understand what the random dead animal represented in the very beginning of the movie...After watching this I'm left feeling disappointed.

I'm sorry, but if you want to tell a story that works, you can't pull a complete 180 in the beginning of the 3rd act and turn a character into a psychopath FOR NO LOGICAL REASON. How is this moving the plot forward? You're just canceling the whole 1 hr and 10 min of the movie!!! What a horrible waste of two very well done first acts. Did the screenwriter think he was being edgy? All it does is make you say "WTF?! Why?!" Maybe this insane turn of events makes sense to psychopaths... I dunno. It made me so angry. Thee ol' bait and switch. It's basically two different movies and neither one has a resolution. Sloppy. Stupid. Pretentious. You're not being deep guy... you're just destroying the plot of your movie. A potentially very good movie too. Sad. Way to ruin your movie.

My says it all. The movie itself is a great slow burn thriller (That actually works) about teenage years in the 90s and teenage mental health but as others have stated, I'm really not too sure what happened to the writing in the final act. Early on, I thought the accidental death scene was incredibly shocking, and tragic. Moving forward through the movie, I can get onboard with Josh losing it and wanting to kill his best friend's girlfriend, I don't think that deserves as much hate as it's getting as he clearly feels isolated and maybe threatened by his best friend having a significant other. Zach's disinterested portrayal of his character is great too considering his involvement, and the actor really nails that aspect of it. That being said, were some other choices and non-choices at the end that were just odd. I understand the sword wasn't incredibly sharp but the fact that Zach didn't require medical attention besides answering some basic head injury questions on the hood of a cop car doesn't make any sense at all. There was an awkward passage of time right then too, it was still daylight during their tussle on the lawn but then it was nighttime the next scene. Most of my problems however were with the last couple scenes, as made clear by my title. Besides seeing Allison alive in the aftermath we don't get any closure, we don't even see Zach or Josh again. There no answers about our dead stoner, which ultimately felt unnecessary, or the kid in the woods whose death was the catalyst for the whole story. In conclusion, I'm 100% fine with an ambiguous ending when the story warrants it. Making the ending ambiguous works when a story is shrouded in mystery or has some component of continuation. In a way seeing Allison just go back to her everyday life feels like a bit of a robbery, in that besides the scar she has no negative effects from her assault and is able to move on with life. Comparing that to the initial accidental death paints two nearly opposite pictures of trauma and that just doesn't sit right with me. This story definitely needed more closure and my rating would easily be higher if not for the ending. Oh well.

Super Dark Times (2017): While I was watching Super Dark Times,the one thing which really surprised me is that this one is work of a debutante director.The way the movie started and the atmosphere set clearly promised me a hell of a ride and almost succeeded in keeping that promise. Plot: Zach (Owen Phillips) and Josh (Charlie Tahan) are best friends growing up in a leafy Upstate New York suburb in the 1990s, where teenage life revolves around hanging out, looking for kicks, navigating first love and vying for popularity. When a traumatic incident drives a wedge between the previously inseparable pair, their youthful innocence abruptly vanishes. My Review: Every person's adolescent age is the most dangerous part of his life as it triggers dangerous feelings and emotions which decides his fate of the life.It is the age which involves us in lot of adventures which may stir lot of turns and lessons in our life.Super Dark Times showcases the scary proceedings in our lead roles adolescent life. Director Kevin Phillips's debut feature looks a lot like Stranger Things-set in the 1990s, there are gorgeous shots of Super Dark Times' misfits riding their bikes around suburbia, but these coexist with stark, ominous images of long shadows and tall trees. Darkness lingers in every frame like a vulture waiting to swoop. Fun times grotesquely morph into horror in a matter of seconds: Four boys are playing with a sword in the woods, and then three boys are covering a body with crunchy autumn leaves. Phillps and writers, Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, steadily raise the tension as the film progresses, making for an unsettling watch as their situation continues to weigh on the young characters.Nailing to atmosphere and mood of 'Super Dark Times' is the key to the film's success because we've seen these tales of teenage mishaps and cover-ups plenty of times.. Here, we are swallowed whole by the film's aesthetics, which manage to always fit the picture and wrap us up in the film's world without ever being overbearing. But what went wrong is the third-act of the film which is oddly paced and difficult to follow.Its like the maker desperately tried to confuse us and thrill us at the same time with lot of unexplained events and violence.It backfired. Performances are amazing.Charlie Tahan (From Wayward Pines) is amazing and his character transition is surprising.Owen Campbell gave spine-chilling performance in the scene where he imagines having intercourse with Allison in woods.Elizabeth Cappucino is a show-stealer although her role is limited. Technically Super Dark Times is amazing with stunning cinematography by ELi Born and haunting score by Ben Frost.We have to notice that all these persons are not widely known. SO,Super Dark Times is an impressive haunting thriller which involves mostly debutante technicians but confused writing in its climax disappoints. My rating 7/10

Starts strong, meanders off course and finishes in an inexplicably darker place than it started. The story is the big letdown here, as everything else was pretty solid. It's like there was about 30 minutes of critical plot missing. Was it left on the editing room floor? Did the writers just get lazy? Probably not worth watching unless you want to try out feeling disturbed and disappointed at the same time.