Dark Skies

ASIFZEDASIFZED Posts: 1,388
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I hate 'real' alien, horror films, because they usually scare the bejesus out of me. Films like Fire In The Sky, Millennium, Signs, The Fourth Kind etc..

So if you're in the mood for a few genuine scares, you could do worse than seeing Dark Skies. I was genuinely unnerved, even though there wasn't anything really original in this tale of a family being targeted by some sinister alien visitors. Mix up Signs, Paranormal Activity, X files and a touch of CE3TK and you can pretty much guess where this is going. But don't let that put you off... this is pretty scary stuff even for a hardened horror cynic like me. I'd much rather endure (real world) stuff like this, than most of the crap that passes for horrors these days. All the leads are fine, Keri Russell is pleasing and the kids are okay too. If you know your X Files, then you'll be familiar with the staples of implants, strange phenomenon, abductions etc, and the X Files film makers really missed a trick by not having Mulder & Scully just investigating a mystery like this.

Fleeting glimpses of our not-so-friendly ETs, had the cinema crowd gasping. There's a fairly tense last stand and, there are enough shocks and worrisome moments during the whole film, to keep you on your toes. I really enjoyed / hated this in equal measure, for being an effective alien thriller. Recommended - rating 8/10.

Comments

  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    Was it anything to do with the TV Series, or was it just any old aliens?
  • ASIFZEDASIFZED Posts: 1,388
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    Nothing to do with the old TV series. Just a new story entirely... no conspiracy stuff.
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    The only unnerving part of Dark Skies for me, was when Jesse rode his bike in the Dark without lights on.



    It did have a slow promising start....but turned very silly, when Keri Russell started to hit her head on the Patio Door....there was laughing in the cinema where I saw it. And the 'Sandman' was not scary.....
    J.K. Simmons was under used too.

    And does Keri have a line in pyjamas....she did wear a lot of them....;)
  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    I do hate it when films use titles from TV series but are not related.

    Keri Russel does a lot of dressing up in 'The Americans'.
  • gouldfathergouldfather Posts: 802
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    Saw this yesterday:)

    It was OK but when you have so many films and tv shows on similar lines it was hard to do something original. This was like a long episode of the X-Files.

    Also, remind me again why aliens travel millions of miles to Earth just so they can creep around the American suburbs eating stuff out their fridge?

    It was clear they could enter the house at will so what was the point of boarding up the doors and windows?

    A little disapointed with the 'grays' they were like a rubbishier version of the ones from Signs.

    But the film wasn't too bad as the family were quite likeable.
  • MobolocoMoboloco Posts: 889
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    I thought the movie was ok too, I agree with the "signs" comparison.
    I liked how quickly they got into the actual story, the characters where quite good but the story was a bit weak in places as the decisions the parents took just didnt make sense a lot of the time.

    The movie obviously needed a bigger budget as it felt lacking in a resolution, I didnt like the flashback explanation (SAW style) at the end.

    Also I found the ending very weak... except for the bit when they are all in the room near the end which was creepy.

    One thing that didn't make sense was...
    the aliens could obviously mind control... so why did they let the family board up the house and have a shotgun ready, also why did they allow them to install cctv not knowing where its broadcast too
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,305
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    I saw this last week and absolutely hated it, i'm just glad i had my Unlimited card because if i'd paid for this i'd have been even less happy with the experience. It was a horror movie by numbers, clearly thought up by someone who thought "hmm, let's mash together Paranormal Activity and Signs, but make it completely boring and repetitive" (the whole Paranormal Activity schtick has run it's course now too, so this really felt like a copycat that came too late to the party). Don't waste your money on this tripe, otherwise they'll keep pumping out uninspired dross like this.
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    CJClarke wrote: »
    I saw this last week and absolutely hated it, i'm just glad i had my Unlimited card because if i'd paid for this i'd have been even less happy with the experience. It was a horror movie by numbers, clearly thought up by someone who thought "hmm, let's mash together Paranormal Activity and Signs, but make it completely boring and repetitive" (the whole Paranormal Activity schtick has run it's course now too, so this really felt like a copycat that came too late to the party). Don't waste your money on this tripe, otherwise they'll keep pumping out uninspired dross like this.
    They didn't in America.....released in February and has made $17 million......but with a budget of just $3.5 Million.:eek:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 208
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    I saw it yesterday as well and I must agree. An 'ok' film. Admittedly, it did have a few unnerving scenes at the time, but it wasn't 'scary' as such. Infact, as somebody else has said, when Keri Russell started banging her head on the door, everybody just laughed.

    A few plot questions were raised though, but that's for another day.

    6/10
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,538
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    I liked it. Didn't read any reviews of it before hand.
    Not as scary as Sinister. No where near.
  • mialiciousmialicious Posts: 4,686
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    the acting was bad...movie was average.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,538
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    Keri Russell was very good in it.
  • thats_racistthats_racist Posts: 1,422
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    It was OK. The first time we see 'the sandman' standing over the bed made me jump.

    I know it's pointless picking apart the plot in films like this, but these points annoyed me -
    We're told a number of times that the family are struggling financially, to the point where they cant aford cable,yet the dad goes out and buys a state of the art surveillance system?

    They don't go to the police as they believe that they will sound crazy and end up having the kids taken away from them - and then immediately decide to board up the windows and sit inside with a shotgun?

    After their older son has disappeared, and the parents are both suspects would they really still have custody of the youngest child? Especially after the hospital had reported them to child services.

    If the aliens could control their minds, why let them board up the house and arm themselves?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,538
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    Yes there was a few inconsistencies but who cares, it didn't set out to be another Godfather.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,305
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    downtonfan wrote: »
    Yes there was a few inconsistencies but who cares, it didn't set out to be another Godfather.

    I'm not expecting every film to aspire to be an amazing film on the level of The Godfather or other such films, but surely we can expect a film to be better than this cliched drivel, especially when they're asking us to part with our money to watch it (*dismounts soap box* :p).
  • Alan1981Alan1981 Posts: 5,416
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    I saw this tonight and was rather underwhelmed to say the least, a few scary jumps but that was it. And the ending was rather poor. I am glad it was 2 for 1 night.
  • Syntax ErrorSyntax Error Posts: 27,735
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    The trailer for this made it appear to be scary, yet this flim wasn't scary at all.

    It was OK, but nothing too special TBH.

    My only query is,
    What happened to the dog that they bought to stand guard against the aliens? As soon as the aliens started to invade the house, they locked themselves in the bedroom & totally forgot about the dog. The dog then disappears completely with no explanation.:confused:
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