Dark

Oscar winner Nicholas Cage flounders in this Paul Schrader (Affliction/Hardcore) vehicle from 2014 which follows the decline of a CIA operative's career (he's starting to show cognitive decline) as he tracks down a terrorist who tortured him years before (we see the session at the start of the film) w/rumors swirling his perp is still alive. Getting the news he's soon to be put out to pasture, Cage commiserates w/a colleague, played by the late, great Anton Yelchin, & they formulate a plan to head to Europe since their target, Alexander Karim, who's also suffering from a degenerate affliction, needs attention from a doctor to administer an experimental drug on him w/Cage taking the place of the doctor which takes up the film's last third. Coming out during (& possibly still in the midst of) Cage's 'make any movie you can to satisfy my tax bills period,' the only reason I tuned in was for the cast (French actress Irene Jacob also shows up as a foreign contact of Cage's) but then when the credits rolled & seeing Schrader's name (which according to its Wiki link the final cut was taken away from him by the producers) my heart sank since the film's story is fairly conventional but usually Schrader can give it his gloss to make the film more palatable but here the low budget sabotages the scope of the story & even Cage's infinitive powers can't save this turkey.

Schrader has discussed openly of the difficulties he endured throughout post-production with the producers of Dying of the Light. That film was made in 2014 against the well wishes of Schrader's intent on how he wanted to make the film. The producers felt the need to make it a run-of-the-mill, linear and super hollow drama flick with another prime example of a horribly underutilized Nic Cage. While in realty what Schrader had in mind and how he had intended to use Cage is now showcased to us in this vindictive effort, released in 2017, called Dark.

Please take note that Schrader was highly limited with what he could use to edit and modify Dying of the Light since it was under copyright. But he did what he could and has given us an incredible film that takes your run-of-the-mill drama and turns it into an artsy, introspective look into the mind of an aging CIA agent who is slowly slipping into madness. The two films could really not be more different. We perceive Evan Lake as a totally endearing character here, instead of cold, as we are getting glimpses into his mind. The effects are probably simple but they work to great outcome.

Dark gives us an above average Cage performance with solid support from a gone-too-soon Anton Yelchin. Highly recommended for those who are fans of Schrader and Cage.

For those unaware, Dark was made in 2013 and released in 2014 under the title "Dying Of The Light". The producers took his original film, chopped it up, changed the score and basically everything about it that made it his own and all without his input.

He later offered to cut a different version at his own expense but they refused.

He was not given any of the high res cuts or given assistance in any way to re-create his movie his own way.

He made "Dark" with what he had and edited it in the harder style he had originally intended. He then uploaded it onto Pirate Bay just so people could have it. "Dark" is his slap in the face to the Hollywood beurocrats who stole his art and cut him out of the process.

He begins "Dark" with a paragraph or so of his own words describing the above.

It can't be rented anywhere but I found it on Internet Archives and I'm watching it right now.

If it's choppy and chaotic the above details are an explanation as to why.

I'm watching out of respect and curiosity for the creator and all that he did to fight back in the robbery and misuse of his work. And, of course, out of love for my man Nic Cage.

Here's the link where you can watch on Internet Archives, I didn't even have to download it: WELP, nevermind. Can't post links here, which is fair but just google "dark, internet archives, Nic cage". Should be the first thing to pop up.