Purely Joyful Movie!

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Fantastic!

A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

Its hard to believe a film with only two characters could be THIS captivating! The acting was so realistic that I could actually feel what they were going through, especially Niamh Algar. This little Irish film was a huge surprise! There was a constant foreboding atmosphere and the monster was really creepy and scary. We don't learn anything about the monster and can only assume it is a vampire due to the 'symptoms'. The lack of 'jump scare music' made the film that much scarier. At times there were no music at all and only slight movement in the background. That freaked me out! It was brilliantly done, and nerve wrecking at times. The film is Jeepers Creepers-ish, only much better. Sarah (Niamh) is a very strong, likable character; a real fighter. Literally the last mili-second of the film makes you wonder what is going to happen next. 'From the Dark' is an instant classic!

I think From the Dark is the second Irish vampire film I have ever seen (the first one was Byzantium, whose setting was more urban), and I don't know why there haven't been more, because the compatibility between sub-genre and location is evident. The green hills and picturesque farms form beautiful landscapes during the day, while the night brings fog accentuating the darkness and creating an air of sinister isolation in which anything can happen. Besides, I liked the adding of a slasher formula to the vampire tale, with the couple followed by a mysterious killer who stalks in the shadows... and only in the shadows, because From the Dark establishes light (any source of light) as an effective weapon against these creatures. The Irish atmosphere and Conor McMahon's direction conjugate with each other in order to achieve good levels of tension and wide opportunities to share the anxiety of the "final girl" while she's hiding in a closet, or planning a weak counter- attack which can lead her to the death. Niamh Algar brings a good performance in the leading role, credibly displaying the internal strength her character must build not only to face the monster, but also the moral decisions presented by the difficult decisions she must make to survive during the night. In conclusion, From the Dark deserves a recommendation as an unusual vampire tale with slasher elements which emphasizes atmosphere and suspense instead of blood and shocks. I would also like to mention Michael Lavelle's cinematography, whose digital camera captures clear and beautiful images during the day or the night, even when the only source of illumination is a match or the diffuse radiance of a TV. It's an amazing range which proves (once more) how well digital cinematography can work as well as its advantages for independent cinema.

Contains spoilers: I absolutely hate it when I feel like I could have done a better job at writing and directing a movie. My first beef is that there's this random monster that is never really explained. It's just there randomly terrorizing people. I suppose we have to surmise that it's a vampire of sorts. Next, the female character chops of her freaking finger and takes it "like a man." Absolutely ridiculous. A man couldn't even take it like a man. Lol. Finally, the female was safe in a bright light, but decided turn them off to try to lure the monster I guess instead of remaining in the light until daybreak and getting the hell out of dodge. Nope. Apparently she wasn't that bright. Even if my logic wasn't applied, they could have found a better, less obviously stupid way of making her lose her well lit safety zone.

A couple is driving through the country when they get lost as their phone's GPS is "constantly recalculating". The wrong turn leads to the car getting stuck in the mud. At the beginning of the film before we meet the couple, a farmer is attacked by a vampire who had been buried in the earth with a stake in its heart as he was digging a hole. Pulling the stake out because his shovel had struck it, the farmer unknowingly releases the vampire from its "sleep". The vampire then does what is expected of it…it bites the farmer. The couple soon encounters the farmer, then the vampire."From the Dark" doesn't reinvent the wheel here, as the simplistic plot doesn't task the viewer. Instead this is about creeping you out and developing a dread over time. It keeps things small-scale in terms of storytelling but the superb photography and moody lensing of the location (particularly during the nighttime) itself really are what I think this film will bring in terms of appeal to a horror audience. The Irish countryside in the film is scary in the film because even though it is so rural, spacious, and dreary, it is yet on the outskirts of civilization, off the beaten path, and rather isolated. Turning onto a road that places him and/or her out of touch with any nearby city where technology is important, and a car stuck in the mud, the couple is then placed in a difficult situation regarding finding help. Help in the hopes that they can get off the wrong road and on the right one. Instead, the potential help is wounded by a vampire which will eventually turn him into a feral creature of the night.The camera ingeniously uses a method that keeps the vampire elusive from a total detail for us. It is developed as a type of specter, a figure that is very dangerous but not distinct or elaborate for us to see in complete form. The sound design is booming when need-be and vivid to depict the snarl and movements of the creature. Its ferocity is emphasized as are its actions when after the couple. The lighting is dutifully stunning to capture the surroundings and place. This a very competent and efficient little horror show.What might be held against it is the minute plotting. This wasn't developed to necessarily confront you with something that has you dwelling on the details of its plot. "From the Dark" is more about getting a reaction, a jolt, a mounting gulp in your throat, and to envelope you with its visual presentation. I think it succeeds as a bit of chiller theater, a film that keeps things simple and lean. It is damned good looking, quite attractive aesthetically. I'd like to see this director offer the horror genre future projects. He has some real talent. Perhaps Conor McMahon will give us something in the future that is cerebral to go along with his visual skills behind the camera.