Today’s quick review: The Darkest Hour. Ben (Max Minghella), a young app developer, and Sean (Emile Hirsch), his slacker partner, are on a business trip to Moscow when the city is invaded by invisible energy beings capable of killing with a touch. Together with American tourists Natalie (Olivia Thirlby) and Anne (Rachael Taylor), Ben and Sean must learn to exploit the beings’ weaknesses to make it across the city to safety.
The Darkest Hour is a budget sci-fi survival thriller with an intriguing premise and mediocre execution. The film’s main draw is its unique aliens: invisible beings that can only be seen when they interact with electrical devices, such as light bulbs or car alarms. This core conceit lets the film make the most of its limited special effects budget, provides a strong sense of tension, and lets the characters learn survival strategies.
Beyond its clever design for its aliens, The Darkest Hour is a typical low-budget alien invasion movie. The characters are weak, offering no real depth, but they do display a healthy mix of optimism and pessimism. The plot develops reasonably well, feeding the survivors crumbs of progress at regular intervals. Overall, though, the execution leaves plenty to be desired, with bland acting, low production values, and a linear plot.
Watch The Darkest Hour only if you’re a fan of budget sci-fi. Interesting ideas and decent craftsmanship make it a fine pick by the standards of the genre. But those hoping for tense direction, stunning action, deep characters, or a cerebral plot should look elsewhere. For a military sci-fi take on a similar premise, try Spectral. For the big-budget equivalent, try War of the Worlds. For dark, moving horror in a similar vein, try A Quiet Place.
4.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for a decent premise held back by low production values.