Summary:
Casper Van Dien stars as himself in this feature that follows a documentary film crew in charge of filming behind the scenes footage of a movie filmed in a haunted hotel. The film crew ends up documenting violent attacks by entities from another world. The reason behind these attacks are even more sinister than the attacks themselves…
Review:
Plot- 3.5/5:
This was a fun movie. It was neat to see the events unfold from the perspective of a film crew in charge of filming behind the scenes information for the special features of a DVD release. There were no plot points that felt silly or unnecessary, and nothing felt like it dragged on.
Acting- 3.5/5:
I thought Casper Van Dien was phenomenal in this. Although some may say it should be easy to play yourself, I do believe there was some exaggeration involved. It seemed to be true to the feel of the independent horror movie set, and no one did a laughable job. I particularly enjoyed Peter Mayer, who played Sidney, the eccentric medium.
Special Effects- 3/5:
Although the movie was relatively short, there was no shortage on special effects. The different haunting effects were well done, not being too hokey or unbelievable. There is a shot of Van Dien being violently thrown over the railing to the floor below that looked really cool. The demon effects were a nice touch, a nod to the classic practical effects of the 1980’s.
Fear- 2.5/5:
While the effects were well done, the film still didn’t end up being all that scary. I think it’s shorter run time has some to do with it, as there wasn’t a lot of time to build tension. I typically don’t say this, but I do wish this particular film was a little longer. I do think the film could scare the casual horror fan, as there are tons of creepy shots of demonically influenced people and activities.
Conclusion- 3/5:
I found Darkness Reigns to be a sweet treat. With a cool story and great acting by Casper Van Dien and Peter Mayer, the film ended up being a pleasant surprise. The special effects were well done, and I was ultimately left wishing it was a little longer. Darkness Reigns isn’t The Amityville Horror, but it doesn’t need to be. If you get a chance to watch the movie, if you’re a hardcore fan, you should probably take it.
