Psycho's Movie Reviews #313: Down A Dark Hall (2018)

Down a Dark Hall is a 2018 supernatural horror film directed by Rodrigo Cortés and written by Chris Sparling and Michael Goldbach. It is based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Lois Duncan.

The film was released in select theatres and through video-on-demand in the United States on August 17, 2018, by Summit Entertainment.

Plot

Kit Gordy, a difficult young girl, is sent to the mysterious Blackwood Boarding School after her delinquent behaviour becomes too much for her school to handle. When she arrives at Blackwood, Kit meets eccentric headmistress Madame Duret and the school's only other students, four teenage girls with similar behavioural problems (Veronica, Ashley, Sierra, and Izzy). Technology is rarely used, and the girls can only phone their families in the domineering presence of the headmistress. The girls attend a variety of creative and intellectual classes, which begins to draw out unknown talents in the girls.

Sierra is the first to show a troubling obsession with her work, losing sleep, refusing to eat, and going into odd trances while creating amazing works of art. Ashley writes beautiful poetry and stories that deeply disturb her. Kit and Izzy slowly begin to experience the same bad side effects, saying it was like someone else was using their bodies. Only the belligerent Veronica shows no progress, much to Madame Duret's annoyance. During art class Kit notices that all of Sierra's paintings are signed "TC" and searches the school's library for answers. She realizes that Sierra is recreating paintings by the deceased artist Thomas Cole, and that the others are producing work from other dead geniuses.

Kit convinces Veronica to search the restricted areas of the school, where they come across old student records and more information on the people possessing the girls. When Madame Duret discovers Veronica alone she chains her up in an unused part of the school, explaining that the students are not merely vessels for the dead, but donors, unknowingly sacrificing themselves to be used to continue the careers of famous minds, whom she is able to commune with and channel into the girls' bodies. Kit calls the police and confronts the headmistress about everything. By now Sierra has already died from overwork, and Ashley jumps to her death to stop the possession taking over completely.

While struggling to free Veronica, Kit knocks over some candles, and fire quickly spreads throughout the old building. Izzy succumbs to the beauty of the flames, leaving only Kit and Veronica to escape. Madame Duret is eventually possessed by her former pupils and consumed by the fire. Kit passes out and meets her deceased father, who convinces her to stay and live. She wakes up in the back of an ambulance with her mother by her side.

Production

Stephenie Meyer optioned the Lois Duncan novel in April 2012. In July 2014, Lionsgate acquired the film. Rodrigo Cortés was announced as the director the same day, and screenwriter Chris Sparling was set to work using a previous draft by Michael Goldbach. In early October 2016, AnnaSophia Robb was announced to play the main role, and Taylor Russell joined the cast three days later. On October 24, Victoria Moroles joined the cast as Veronica.

To promote the pending release, Summit Entertainment released a trailer online for the film on May 22, 2018.

Filming

Principal photography began in October 2016 in Barcelona, with Jarin Blaschke as the director of photography. After four weeks of shooting in Barcelona and two weeks in the Canary Islands, filming ended in December 2016.

Release/Reception/Box Office

Down a Dark Hall was released in Italy on August 1, 2018, and in Spain on August 3, 2018. In the United States, the film was released on August 17, 2018, by Summit Entertainment simultaneously in select theatres and via video-on-demand. The film was released on Blu-ray combo pack and DVD on October 16, 2018, by Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

Down a Dark Hall received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 48% based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 5.3/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Down a Dark Hall is more stylish than scary, although its foreboding atmosphere may raise a few Goosebumps among younger viewers."

On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 56 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Box office $2.7 million

My Review

I just watched it yesterday, with no big expectations, and it truly surprised me. It's way more elegant and classy than I expected, well-performed and beautifully shot. The music is unbelievable, the piano scenes and the way they're shot shocked me and moved me. If this is a teen movie, then it must the best and classiest teen movie in a long, long time.

I didn't expect this film to be any good, I hate Twilight and, to be frank, most teen movies. I find them plain and full of dumb characters, and pop songs seem to be enough to try to make the audiences feel interested on the screen. But wow, this film is something. It's elegant, it has class, it builds tension with almost only light and sound. The music is beautiful too, and the young actresses are amazing, especially AnnaSophia Robb, who's never been this good. Uma Thurman is as subtle as a villain as she's powerful too, dangerous and intelligent, a true manipulator. Blackwood made me think, for some reason, in movies like Walkabout and in films by Aronofsky. I wish there were more of these movies today that still respect film making and their audiences. I'm not that young anymore, I actually have just been father, but the ending almost made me cry, for a number of reasons. This film shouldn't have been good. But it certainly is.

It is a decent horror thriller in which step by step mystery starts to be unfolded. Starring AnnaSophia Robb gives a passable acting as the troubled teenager whose talents are increased and being trapped by dark forces, but Uma Thurman is much better as the rigid Principal of the mysterious Boarding School who has sinister secrets. Support cast is pretty good, such as Jodhi May as the arts professor, Noah Silver as music professor, Pip Torrens as Maths professor, Rebecca Front as a strict governess assistant, among others.

It contains a thrilling and rousing musical score by Victor Reyes. As well as a colourful and dark cinematography by Jarin Blaschke. Being shot on gorgeous location in Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, and Barcelona, Spain. The motion picture was well directed by Rodrigo Cortés, though being inferior than his precedent films. Rodrigo is a successful Spanish filmmaker who has got much prestige thanks to his international movies with great actors, such as Buried with Ryan Reynolds, Red Lights with Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro and Concursante with Leonardo Sbaraglia. He is also a notorious writer and editor such as Emergo, Grand Piano and directing a lot of Shorts as 15 days and Interruptus. Rating : Better than average 7.5/10. Well worth watching.