Deep Dark

Like Herman, the main character, this movie is lacking something. Great concept if you're into weird stuff, the story moves along nicely in the first half of the movie but then... Something goes wrong. It gets too slow, performances are subpar, the jealous artist and the girlfriend in particular, and the killings arrive too late. Things should have escalated further somewhere along the part the manager goes into the bedroom (whatever happened to her by the way?). It would be nice to explore other aspects of the story, like the hole's origin and Herman's feelings about it. I was hoping this would be one of those misunderstood gems with an unfair rating, but nope. It is lacking.

I was drawn into this because the description and some reviews made it sound like it would be a visual trip and very experimental. It's actually just a pretty straightforward story about a struggling artist. The only twist being he talks to a hole in the wall and it grants him parts to make his art. It also gets jealous of any woman he tries talking to. That's about it.

Don't expect a horror film. Or David Lynch-lite (which is what I kind of had in my head). Or any comedy. I'm honestly not sure who the intended audience of this film was. I kept waiting and waiting for something off the wall to happen and grew increasingly bored when it never did.

The one positive thing I will say, is that the plot was fairly original. It had lots of potential, I just wish it was more entertaining.

Struggling artist Hermann (Sean McGrath) leases a rundown apartment from his uncle and continues to struggle with his mobile-centered art pieces. That is until a tiny hole in the wall spits out a string with a note attached saying, "Relax, I can help." The hole begins speaking to him in a seductive female voice and soon the hole starts producing tumors (!) that Hermann places on his mobiles. The fleshy orbs intoxicate any viewer, making Hermann an instant success in the local art scene. Of course, the partnership comes with a price. I was drawn to this horror dark comedy just by the poster and one sentence plot synopsis on TubiTV. Writer-director Michael Medaglia delivers on the film's weird promise, coming off almost as a low budget combo between David Lynch and latter day Henenlotter. The premise might run a little thin at 80 minutes but I was entertained the entire time. His skewering of the indie art world is hilarious.

Deep Dark has the feel of an extended (79 minute) Twilight Zone episode without the genius of Rod Serling. A twenty something, no talent artist creates They are garbage. He winds up at an apartment with a hole in the wall. Behind it, he hears the voice of a woman. She is lonely, and in exchange for companionship will provide him with objects which seem to mesmerize gallery patrons. The Faustian bargain is successful and the artist must satisfy the hole in the wall in a most unusual manner. The premise was o.k. but it just sputters out in the end.

Not bad or good, the movie is pretty much different from everything else I've been watching lately. But come on? One hour and eighteen minutes of a talking head and a failed sculptor? I had to give it a try. I would advice someone thinking about watching it to just give it a try.