Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This may be Lance Henriksen's best role yet since he starred in the TV series Millennium. The film itself is shot with a filter that mutes bright tones and gives a richness to every color. The actors outside of Henriksen are also quite good at their craft, even if the lead male thinks he's Jack Nicholson toward the end of the story. The pacing is done well, but the opening courtroom scene was unnecessary to the plot of the story. The film ratchets up rather quickly in its last minutes, turning into quite a Slasher film comparable to The People Under the Stairs and The House of the Devil. Henriksen, by the way, plays a real Christian just as Edward Woodward did in The Wicker Man (a character that backfired on the director who made the film to be antichrist instead of Christian, with the opposite result). I'd like to give this film higher than a 6, but the Twilight Zone stares and small-town weirdness provides a factor not suitable to this ghost story. Like most of the films Henriksen stars in, this one is a mish-mash of ideas that don't finish percolating before the story is finished.

James (Jason Cook) and Jennifer (Valerie Azlynn) inherit his mother's North Carolina home in Cedar Rock Falls. They plan to fix it up and leave the odd town that has no children...just ghosts of children. Their six year old son Danny (William Pifer) develops many "imaginary friends." Fairly predictable mystery with the midpoint clues. The soundtrack and acting gave the production a "made for TV" feel. We don't actually see much of the action. We hear a noise and then see a messy room. We do get to see a glass fall over and Valeris Azlynn hold her head under water. Watchable and forgettable.Guide: 2 F-words. No sex or nudity.

I just saw this movie this morning and my verdict would be that it wast half bad .I've always liked Jason Cooke since his role as Shawn on Days of Our Lives and he did a great job with the material he was given as did the actress that played the wife and of course the always reliable Henriksen.The little boy however looked like he was half asleep throughout the duration of the film and his ACTING was definitely not up to snuff .The twist at the end was sadistic and dark it's kinda obvious if you pay close attention .No the movies not perfect there is a scene with some older people that is never fully explained especially why they react the way they do to the son .The end was also illogical considering what had just happened to one of the characters moments later .The end made sense to me considering what had happened that I won't spoil for those who wish to view it yourself .It's a good movie but not great it even dragged in some parts winding up boring me from time to time .Some of the effects were also extremely cheap looking to say the least .

Dark Awakening is a creepy, edge of your seat horror/thriller. If you enjoy films such as Poltergeist, The Shining, Stir of Echoes, or Paranormal Activity I would strongly suggest checking out this one!In addition, Lance Henriksen and Jason Cook give terrific performances and their chemistry works very well. Lance's character even offers up a few light hearted seconds of humor. Dark Awakening may start off like other haunt films but clearly becomes a brand of it's own with many twists and turns, this is not a picture to miss out on.Much credit is due to director Dean C. Jones and the producers, they set out to fill a house full of ghastly screams and have done a heck a job!