The Dark Lurking Movie Review

The Dark Lurking is a horror thriller written and directed by Gregory Connors. Stuart Wall and Bret Kennedy have co-produced this film. This film has been distributed under the combined banner of In Fuse Releasing and 8 Films. Dirk Foulger is the cinematographer, while Greg Connors is the editor of this film. This film stars Tonia Renee Hammerich and Bret Kennedy in the lead. The supporting cast of this film comprises Ozzie Devrish, Rozlyn Van Doorn, Dirk Foulger, Anthony Edwards, etc. The film got a direct-to-DVD premiere in various countries on 12 October 2010.

Plot

A mishap at the hands of some technicians in a spaceship has disastrous consequences. An ancient monster is now out on the loose, destroying anything it encounters. A small group of survivors must do all it takes to get out to freedom.

Star Performances

Dwayne Nicol was probably the only guy associated with this movie, who was probably a bit interested in the job. As the production designer, only this person even attempted to make the project look interesting.

Bret Kennedy and Tonia Renee are probably the only two actors who made some kind of attempt to salvage an unassailable project.  

Analysis

A combination of extra-terrestrial creatures and survival drama is a bold if not difficult venture to start with. However, in terms of execution, writer cum director Gregory Connors made a complete mess of the same with his latest venture ‘The Dark Lurking.’

A simple glance at the film will make you realize why it was relegated to just a direct-to-DVD release. For a low-budget film, the production design is surprisingly decent. But that’s it. That’s one of the few redeeming qualities of this otherwise forgettable experience.

The film takes inspiration from several predecessors like ‘Aliens,’ and ‘Resident Evil’ to name a few. However, the film fails to leave a remarkable impact. Forget the jump scares, no scene was enough to give even the basic chills. Some of the sequences are so bizarre, that the viewers will find it tough to maintain their patience, despite the short runtime of this film.

The acting performances from the cast are also far from impressive. Only Bret Kennedy and Tonia Renee to an extent, tried to do justice to their respective roles. However, even their performances weren’t enough to salvage the sinking ship of this movie called ‘The Dark Lurking.’

What's There?

• The production design by Dwayne Nicol
• Some acting performances by Bret Kennedy and Tonia Renee

What's Not There?

• Rudimentary editing
• Sequences that will test the patience of the viewers
• Complete absence of horror

Verdict

‘The Dark Lurking’ would’ve been brilliant if the makers presented it as a horror comedy. However, the ludicrous plot, coupled with clunky editing and underwhelming performances prevent it from being so. Only the production designs and a few performances make it remotely watchable!