Dark Places

WARNING: This review is hidden because it reveals the content of the film.
Click here to show this review. Dark Places is a film based on the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name. You may recognize the name of the author, because her most popular work is Gone Girl. The plot revolves around the survivor of a brutal massacre in her home, killing most of her family. Twenty-five years later, she is offered money to revisit and tell the events of that horrifying night.

Dark Places is a pretty big disappointment. From the trailers, the film looked to have a similar tone and story to last year's Gone Girl. I was pretty excited to see a good crime thriller in 2015. Hence why this film was a big let down.

It does have a number of redeeming qualities though. The acting from the whole cast is superb. Charlize Theron is amazing, giving an emotional and secluded performance. Nicolas Hoult, though not in the film all that much, also does a great job. The rest of the supporting cast including Chloe Grace Moretz and Andrea Roth do respectable jobs as well.

The plot is mostly interesting and holds the audience's attention. There were a few twists that actually worked and kept me on the edge of my seat. The cinematography is beautiful and the tone of the film is consistently dark.

However, the film as a whole feels dull. There were moments that were supposed to hit hard, but just missed the mark. The writing is mediocre as well, with the occasional laughably bad line. The "big" plot twist at the end was predictable and honestly nothing special.

The film is watchable and is entertaining in its own way, but it had potential to be so much more. With great acting and an interesting story, it's a true shame that this film fall flat. I would recommend streaming it if you're a fan of the novel, or are just curious to see what kind of gruesome story Gillian Flynn has to offer.

RATING: 5.5/10.