"Darkness" review

Darkness (2002)

Directed by Jaume Balagueró
Writing credits Jaume Balagueró Fernando de Felipe

Anna Paquin.... Regina
Lena Olin.... Maria
Iain Glen.... Mark
Giancarlo Giannini.... Albert Rua

The audience shrugs and gives "Darkness" a resounding Ho Hum. PG-13 horror. Is there anything more vile? I had read that this flick was R-rated but when I got to the theater I saw a big PG-13 on the poster. Drat. Dang. Darn it. Fudge. Tricked again.

"Darkness" is a mumbling, bloodless, and pointless ghost story. Family moves into a big scary house and scary things happen. What exactly is going on is lost in a jumble of whispers and incoherent mumbling. Something about children and cults and slitting throats and ahh who cares? Where are the ghosts? Where is the horror? Why should I fear the Darkness? What is it exactly? Who are the people in the old picture? I ask these questions but in truth I don't care. The movie works extra hard not to involve you in its story.

"Darkness" is as generic a ghost story as it gets. There is nothing new or exciting here. Maybe there's a better version of this somewhere hiding in the darkness but the PG-13 version I saw left me cold.

SCORE: 1.5 out of 4 Annas bathing in PG-13 darkness