My quick rating – 5.6/10. In Darkness is another flick collecting dust on my watchlist, so it was finally time to pull it off the shelf and see what kind of thrills this thriller has. The setup grabbed me right away. A blind pianist, Sofia (Natalie Dormer), hears what sounds like a murder in the apartment above her. From there, she gets dragged into a grimy London underworld full of secrets and lies. And would it be a mystery without a few twists to make your brain start filing workers’ comp?
The film opens with ominous piano music, and before we know it, it is apparent that we will have a far cry from a comfortable evening. This foreboding soundtrack quickly transitions into a frightening scene of choking, setting the atmosphere right from the beginning. In Darkness then takes us through Sofia’s journey back home, and while the visual elements do their fair share of building up an eerie atmosphere, the audio elements take center stage, creating a realistic environment from Sofia’s perspective. As regards the audio elements of the movie, I must say that they make up for some of the best parts of the film.
Natalie Dormer offers an impressive performance. She totally lives up to the character, and she never comes across as just some gimmick. Dormer carries the film with a calm intensity that is engrossing, even when nothing much is happening. Speaking of which, In Darkness sports some very good settings, and they add a certain flair to the entire production. This is not some bargain-bin thriller tossed together on the cheap. There’s atmosphere here, and plenty of it.
The biggest issue is that In Darkness tries very hard to be smarter than the room. The mystery absolutely keeps your attention, but it also becomes so overcomplicated that instead of sitting back and enjoying the ride, you’re mentally connecting red strings across a corkboard like a sleep-deprived detective in a conspiracy meme. By the time the big twist arrives, the film leans so hard into the “gotcha” moment that it almost feels like it tripped over itself trying to stick the landing.
Without spoiling anything, the final reveal gave me one of those “wait… hold on a second” reactions where half the previous scenes start wobbling in retrospect. It’s one of those endings that will either make you appreciate the ambition or make you stare at the credits, questioning half of what you just watched. It really depends on the kind of viewer you are. Some people love a last-second rug pull. Others might feel like the movie pulled the rug, the floorboards, and possibly the entire apartment building.
Still, In Darkness is a solid little thriller. It’s got strong acting, stylish direction, and enough mystery to keep you watching. I just wish Anthony Byrne trusted the story enough without feeling the need to go full M. Night Shyamalan in the final stretch.
