AND SOON THE DARKNESS (2010)

 

Directed By: Marcus Efron Written By: Marcus Efron & Jennifer Derwingson Based on the original screenplay by: Brian Clemens & Terry Nation  Cinematography: Gabriel Beristain  Editor: Todd E. Miller 

Cast: Amber Heard, Karl Urban, Odette Annabale, Adriana Barraza, Gia Mantegna

 When two American girls on a bike trip in a remote part of Argentina split up and one of them goes missing, the other must find her before her worst fears are realized.

This film is a remake but you don't have to have seen the original to figure this film out. At least if you want to.

It's beyond predictable and also very boring. Most of the scenes which are supposed to be tension-filled and lead us to discoveries when it comes to what is actually going on leave the film dead.

As the scenes are of course misleading but there seems to be an extra emphasis on filming them at arty angles and making them endless and revealing little of anything. 

Watching the film is like watching. Paint dry standing around going over beautiful scenery with a bad music score.

From time to time the filmmakers try to enliven the film by having the two female leads cavort in bikinis. Not naked but in bikinis. There is about 20 minutes devoted to them doing nothing but cavorting in them, in total. Not complaining too much about that as the movie is so bad that, that was the most interesting part of the film.

It's sad as the two leads are perfect heroines/victims in search of a better villain and film. They both have the talent and beauty but should have been tipped off that the two female leads up to this point have rarely acted in films that one actually can say are enjoyable.

The film's script plays out like an intriguing drama that wants to be a thriller like a loose or discarded storyline of a police procedural tv show only set more in vacation spots abroad. Or it seems more like the basis of an in-depth expose with reenactments.

The film is just one of those films where you wonder if you're going to bother remaking the film. Why not make it your own way and better, update with things you couldn't get away with before. If not, why? Just to put new actors and use updated technology. It's basically the same and the audience who knows it will know exactly what will happen. So it Offers the audience nothing and a new audience might care very little. 

So this film comes off more as a waste of money, time, talent, and energy. It feels Like a way just to make a quick buck. 

Should have known this might be going downhill when at under 90 minutes. You really want to fast forward through it. 

Grade: F