With the popularity of Stranger Things and the recent re-envisioning of Stephen King’s IT, there has been a sudden resurgence of coming of age horror TV series’ or films. These types of films typically always have an obstacle to overcome. Whether it’s testing the bonds of friendship and trust or banding together for the greater good. Or on the opposite end of the spectrum, those same obstacles can break and destroy the group. Either way, these flicks will always have a place in horror. Today’s movie boils and ghouls, is one those types. As always, time to pop some buttery popcorn, crack open a cold adult beverage and dim the lights… IT’S MOVIE TIME!
Super Dark Times (2017)
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Set in Anywhere, USA in the mid 1990’s, Zach (Owen Campbell, As You Are, Bitter Feast) and Josh (Charlie Tahan, I am Legend, Wayward Pines) are the best of friends. They do everything together, they are inseparable. One afternoon, while getting into mischief with another group of kids, a devastatingly horrible and tragic accident befalls them. Sworn to secrecy, the two must now test everything their friendship has been built on. When fear and paranoia begin to take over, how far are these friends willing to go to keep a dark and quite deadly secret?
Super Dark Times is directed by first time feature length filmmaker Kevin Phillips, where he almost effortlessly captures what true teen angst can be all about. What fear, betrayal and hormones can lead to. Which felt almost too real at times, how spot on he demonstrated youth. A truly nightmarish debut. Eli Born was the eye behind the camera, setting a cold, bleak wintery town that looked as dark as the movie title suggests. The flick was co-written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, who were the same team behind the 2016 V/H/S spin-off SiREN. Together they overwhelmingly achieved Phillips’ goal of portraying the teens realistically. The acting was so fucking good for such a low budget affair. All the dialogue felt fluid and never forced, with the performance of Tahan as Josh shining the brightest.
SDT is not your average horror film. It is thought-provoking and very multi-layered. Some people these days are calling flicks like this post horror. Fuck that bullshit. This is a horror film. PERIOD. It’s thrilling, it’s dramatic, it’s captivating. But most importantly it’s horrific. Which is a rare commodity in horror these days, because movies like this don’t come around often. When it comes to the old ultra-violence, there is not a lot of gore to speak of, but what is shown was bloody damn effective.
You are hearing this from me first. Watch Super Dark Times as soon as you can! It is grippingly unique. Emotional and riveting. It is an instant cult hit, I was completely engrossed by this film. I hate comparing movies, but the tone of this film left me with the same wonderful feeling that It Follows did in 2015. These two films are nothing alike mind you. Just my personal observation.
Super Dark Times is easily one of the top 5 best horror films of 2017.
IMDb: 6.7/10
ZombiSurvivor: 8.4/10
It’s out now in limited theaters and VOD now!!!!!!
Thanks for reading and remember all October long to…
STAY SCARED!
-ZS
