They Wait in the Dark

I pride myself on being good at guessing the twists and turns of almost any film I watch. My husband gets annoyed that I guess the ending at only 15 minutes into the movie. However, this one got me. It subverted my expectations of the genre and made me think I knew what was coming. I did not know what was coming... at all.

Aside from the excellent story-telling, the cinematography was beautifully shot and the acting was honest and naturalistic. This was one of the more satisfying horror films I have seen in a good long while. I definitely recommend it for a weekend watch. Or weekdays, I don't dictate your movie-watching times!

Don't be fooled by the clever, creepy title. The twist isn't worth the work to get there.

This movie is essentially a twisted little melodrama disguised as a horror film. Aside from a couple sprinkles in the middle, no actual "horror" even occurs until the final minutes of the film.

And the acting from the two leads is atrocious. I spent much of my time trying to figure out who was worse: the main character (whose acting lacks any range at all) or the ex (who makes every obvious acting choice it's possible to make and who should note that when you light a cigarette inside a car without a breeze AND it's already lit, it's not necessary to cup your hand around said cigarette).

Not good, not 100%. Was drawn in by the 100%. Don't do it. This is my first ever review, i started an account to leave this specific review. I'm leaving a 2 to hopefully break that current rating to a more realistic expectation. However, I honestly regarded it closer to like a 3.25. It's a slow burn like a wet fuse to dynamite - is it? Is it happening? It's happening? Is it? Okay well now i'm invested because apparently i'm already halfway through. Ohhhhh oh okay. Annd it's done.

For what they've accomplished as an indie with low budget? Mmk, i guess. There were just too many moments with the writing and the acting that i couldn't bear: high presence of poorly delivered poorly written lines.

While I enjoy reading film reviews, I am always cautious about putting my faith in another's opinion. Disclaimer noted, you can take mine for what it is worth. I am not a huge fan of the horror genre. (Stay with me) To me, there are common threads of cinematic elements often absent from this type of film. To the die-hard loyalists, this appears to be an acceptable part of the amalgamated enjoyment of the niche.

This is my second look at a Rea feature, ("I am Lisa") being the first. One of the primary reasons I gave "They Wait in the Dark" a take was due to Rea's simplistic approach in "Lisa". Sometimes less is more. One of the drawbacks for me in this realm is the gravitation toward over-the-top and gratuitously excessive gore. For others, this is part of the draw and appeal. To each their own.

I am looking at this film through a comparative lens. If you're expecting "Schindler's List" or "Shawshank Redemption", you're not going to find it. "They Wait" is a departure from the excessively gratuitous gore infused with a plot centered on human relationships. However, if you want to compare apples to apples and looking for horror, make sure to give "They Wait in the Dark" a chance.

It's really refreshing to see more female lead films in this genre that isn't necessarily a "final girl" "scream queen" trope. The twist was completely unexpected and the story was so well done. A lot of people leaving bad reviews are expecting a high budget Hollywood style film and don't appreciate the material as is. As a fan of indie film, this one really is a breath of fresh air. Patrick does an amazing job of creating/directing these strong female characters in a way that feels empowering and authentic. The story is creepy and immersive. You really feel the emotions of panic and terror that the main character is feeling.

I highly recommend this one to anyone who's a horror fan. Amazing work!