THEY WAIT IN THE DARK is a supernatural horror story with few protagonists. I was first quite taken with this independent, low-budget film. Surprisingly, the results are effective as well.
However, the film's ending surprise was not one I enjoyed. I'll be honest and say it's a pet peeve of mine, but I won't go into too much detail here to prevent spoilers. In this typical "red herring"-style approach, I get the impression that outright falsehoods are being told in order to deceive or lull the viewer into forming the wrong conclusions about what's really going on.
Below is more of our They Wait in the Dark movie review.
A woman outlaw
Having your protagonist be a mother on the run with her small kid may instantly evoke sympathy for her plight. When we last left Amy (Sarah McGuire), she was on the run from her ex-girlfriend, Judith (Laurie Catherine Winkel). Already in place is an interesting variation on the age-old tale of spousal violence. This kind of representation of an LGBTQ couple is still rather unusual.
Their kid, Adrian (Patrick McGee), is an adorably endearing little guy. He's doing his best to take care of his mom while also accepting the reality that he and his sister had to leave his other mother. Amy has a knife wound in her torso, so it's clear.
Amy brings Adrian back to the house she grew up in to keep him safe from Judith. Both her mother and father have passed away; her mother when she was around Adrian's age, and her father just lately. What this means is that the home has been utilised as a party spot and squat for quite some time, and now it has been left abandoned.mThis is an excellent setup for the spooky narrative that follows.
Damn that distracting red herring
One of my favourite things is a good mystery or a surprising turn of events. The movies that succeed in doing this stand out in my mind as classics. The Sixth Sense, Saw, Orphan, and Get Out are other examples. What about the first Planet of the Apes, The Invitation, or Gone Girl? Even "I am your father" from Return of the Jedi stands out. Numerous brilliant scenes with memorable twists.
A excellent "red herring" meets "falsehoods" twist is there in They Wait in the Dark. Again, this is a personal peeve of mine, but I find it impossible to appreciate a plot shock that contradicts practically everything we've seen or been led to think. Instead of being impressed, I find myself annoyed.
However, Sarah McGuire's portrayal as Amy was excellent, and I thought little Patrick McGee did a great job as her son, Adrian. Laurie Catherine Winkel does an excellent job as Judith, the ex-girlfriend they're trying to escape.
While my major complaint isn't directly related to her performance, I do think she's been pushed to go a little too far at times. Just a little polish and I may have bought into the twist as well.
You may now stream They Wait in the Dark!
Patrick Rea penned the screenplay and directed this new independent horror film. He's been in the business of creating genre movies for quite some time. Numerous prizes have been bestowed onto his works, which are often included at festivals dedicated to the genre.
True, his films often get negative marks from audiences, but that's not entirely his fault. Nailbiter (2013), for example, has a 4.2 average and has been honoured with six prizes from several horror film festivals, including Shriekfest 2012.
Overall, his films aren't for everyone, but they're popular among genre devotees. Though I had some issues with the plot surprise (it didn't quite work for me), I still found the story to be engaging and enjoyable. Check it out if you're interested in a supernatural thriller with a twist and like indie horror films.
The digital release date for They Wait in the Dark is February 7, 2023.
Director information: Patrick Rea
Patrick Rea (the writer)
Meagan Flynn, Chris Bylsma, Paige Maria, Patrick McGee, and Sarah McGuire also star.
Summary
They are on the run from Amy's (McGuire) violent ex-girlfriend Judith (McGee) and her adoptive son Adrian (McGee) (Winkel). Desperate to remain undetected, they hide out in Amy's family's deserted farmhouse outside of her Kansas hometown. However, soon a sinister entity from Amy's murky past starts to torment Adrian. Amy and Adrian are in a confrontation against both external and internal dangers as the furious Judith closes in on them.
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