Chaney Kley

Emma Caulfield

Lee Cormie

Sullivan Stapleton

Emily Browning

Angus Sampson

Grant Piro

Steve Mouzakis

Peter Curtin

Kestie Morassi

Jenny Lovell

John Stanton

Joshua Anderson

Rebecca McCauley

Maura Fay

Brian Tyler

Joe Harris

Dan Laustsen

Anna Borghesi

Derek Dauchy

Judy Bunn

Steve Mirkovich

James Vanderbilt

Timothy Alverson

Lynne Ruthven

Lou Arkoff

Shane Phillips

Jonathan Liebesman

John Fasano

Jane Summer-Eve

Anthony Veith

Damian Heckendorf

Rolland Pike

Chris Hansford

Adrian Goodwin

Richard Turton

Todd Tucker

Jay Torta

Martin Turner

Frank E. Eulner

Belinda Bennetts

Tom Nursey

Pamela Kahn

Martin Bruveris

Jenny Hitchcock

Rebecca Cohen

Gregg Thomas

Harry Panagiotidis

Keryn Ribbands

Joe Lisanti

Diana Freeman

Randy Thom

Murray Pope

Fergus Leese

Paula Whiteway

Stephen F. Windon

Mario Peraic

Jo Weeks

Scott Guitteau

Jason W. Jennings

Tony Williams

Gary Krause

Fiona Searson

Damien Gray

Bernadette Hayes

Debbie Denise

Alistair Reilly

George Liddle

Erica Wells

Gary Rizzo

Lisa Wang

Gillian Huxley

Steven Ticknor

Victoria Alonso

Kevin J. Jolly

Lyn Jones

Reece Cliff

Dan Schmit

Suzy Wood

Richard R. Hoover

John Hegeman

William Sherak

Jason Shuman

Irene Dobson

Lance Beriman

Cheryl Williams

Laura May Alcock

Luke Green

Tov Belling

Suzanne Evans-Booth

Ben Faiman

Vivien Mepham

Rain Hart

Bradley Galgon

Brianna Seale

Jim Conrads

John Fox

Lauren Kisilevsky

Ken Fischer

Lisa K. Fowle

Brandon England

John Schiefelbein

Steven Anthony Khoury

Jeff Vaughn

Christian Boudman

Grayden Le Breton

Robert Elhai

James Kalisch

Keith Marbory

David Hunter

Thriller

Horror

Darkness Falls

Revolution Studios

Distant Corners Entertainment Group Inc.

Blue Star Productions

Village Roadshow Pictures

Morningstar Films

Australia

United States of America

English

witch

death penalty

small town

loss of loved one

lighthouse

cowardliness

spirit

witch hunt

This was an interesting watch. Though not great, it had moody ambience in spades, and I'm intrigued of what the future holds for director Liebesman. Worth a watch.

Life for a tooth. 

As a young boy, Kyle Walsh (Chaney Kley) claims to have seen the fearsome Tooth Fairy kill his own mother. He also claims that having seen her, she wont stop until she also kills him. Years later, and still haunted by the experience of that night, Kyle must return to Darkness Falls to aid his childhood sweetheart, Caitlin Greene (Emma Caulfield) and her kid brother Michael, the latter of which who seems to be at risk from the Tooth Fairy this time around. Can Kyle confront his fears and end the 150 years of terror that has blighted Darkness Falls?

Pretty much despised by the discerning horror-phile, Darkness Falls, to me at least, is a creepy, interesting and totally enjoyable thriller/ghost picture worth reappraisals. From the excellent, and chilling opening credits (where we nicely have a back story to work from), to the final confrontation, Darkness Falls ticks most of the ghostly requisites that is asked of it. Scary demon (troubled children with night terrors should be explored more in cinema I feel), cannon fodder bullies, cannon fodder obnoxious coppers and a constant sense of unease and dread. All of which is provided in Jonathan Liebesman's ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning") film. It's with the sense of dread that I feel that this deserves a better reputation. Hand on my heart I know the film isn't a scary boo jump picture, something that is unforgivable to many genre supporters, but atmosphere goes a long way to creating a good thriller/ghost story picture. Darkness Falls has it in spades, and it's also a film that is a nice antidote to the blood beast torture sub-genre of film that seep out from the multi-plexes on a seemingly weekly basis.

Any expectation of an outright horror film should be quickly extinguished prior to a first time viewing, and if noise annoys and staccato editing bugs you? well stay away. Also don't line up if one demands great acting in a budget restricted piece such as this, since both Kley & Caulfield are only adequate at best. But give it a go if you understand that a preposterous plot, and preposterous set pieces are a pre-requisite for horror films of this type. I say that since I've seen many comments decrying Darkness Falls for the unbelievable elements - only to then search their other comments to find praise for even more ludicrously plotted pieces! Or give it a go knowing it's more about the creeping stalking menace side of horror, or that it's also an action thriller as well as an uneasy story. Maybe just maybe you will enjoy it for what it is? Otherwise I guess you will be looking forward to "Hostel 22" or another "Jason Attacks The Eiffel Tower" movie... 7/10

**_Atmospheric chiller starts with potential, but falls apart in the second half_**

In the town of Darkness Falls (patterned after Fall River, Massachusetts), a kid named Kyle sees the legendary tooth fairy specter and is forced to go to an orphanage after his mother mysteriously perishes. Twelve years later, Kyle (Chaney Kley) returns to the town where the specter is wreaking havoc and he's jailed under false presumptions. Emma Caulfield plays the girl he left behind and Lee Cormie her little brother who has also seen the malevolent ghost and is therefore getting "treatment."

"Darkness Falls" (2003) is a haunting ghost flick that starts out very promising, but fails to take advantage of its resources and potential. The movie is enhanced by a quality apparition and an eerie vibe, similar to "The Ring" from the previous year, not to mention a strong and sympathetic protagonist played by Kley (who would pass away in his sleep four years later due to a breathing problem). Emily Browning is excellent as the 13 year-old girlfriend in the prologue, but Caulfield doesn't capture the character as an adult, although she's okay. Unfortunately she's literally the only prominent female in the movie, which is scandalous for a horror flick of this ilk.

The movie takes a bad turn around the midpoint when Kyle (Kley) makes it to the hospital just as the boy is about to undergo an experimental procedure, which is ultra-contrived, and the film never recovers. In fact, it goes off the rails and totally loses interest. Another negative is that too much of the story takes place indoors. The few outside sequences are effectively atmospheric, but the bulk of the movie takes place in hospitals, houses, a police station and lighthouse.

While the music is good during the end credits, they run for literally ten minutes, which is curious long for a horror flick that only runs 86 minutes. So, really, the story is only 76 minutes long. "Darkness Falls" might still be worth checking out for those who value the above positives, just don't expect anything good or great. Overall, it's okay at best, hampered by lousy elements that are stunningly amateurish (for one, glaring kinks needed worked out in the script).

The movie was shot in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, Australia, with establishing shots in Maine.

GRADE: C-

Darkness Falls (2003) Original Trailer [FHD]

Darkness Falls( 2003)

An eye for an eye. Your life for a tooth.

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A review by talisencrw

Written by talisencrw on Sat Jul 02 2016

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