DVD Review

Dark Country

Official Synopsis:

In his directorial debut, Thomas Jane stars in this suspenseful horror thriller. Also starring Lauren German (Hostel: Part II) and Ron Perlman (Hellboy II: The Golden Army). Two honeymooners rescue a mysterious car crash survivor in the Las Vegas desert. But their decision to save the man becomes increasingly regrettable when he turns on them, forcing the newlyweds to do the unthinkable. In a blur of paranormal chaos, the couple must take drastic measures to cover up their actions from the local police, ultimately leading each character to an inescapable fate.

Our Take:

I recently had the opportunity to interview Thomas Jane, star and director of Dark Country. In preparation for the interview, I watched the film (of course!), and part of me expected it to be the typical indie drama that so many actors venture forth with when they start to explore directing. What I got instead was a fascinating little movie that's not quite a horror film, but is a unique and engaging thriller in its own right. I decribed the film as a sort of film noir meets Twilight Zone movie, and those are the exact same words Mr. Jane used when I spoke to him about the film!

Dark Country is a small movie that's big in scope. There are really only two main characters, but thanks to some inventive and highly stylized visuals, the film never plays out like a stage drama transposed to the screen. I give the movie a lot of credit for being purposefully offbeat and somewhat obscure in its plot points, yet never devolving into a movie that's strange just for the sake of being strange. The performances by Thomas Jane and Laura German are terrific, and Ron Perlman even shows up for a bit towards the end, which is always fun.

Special Features:

Commentary With Thomas Jane, Screenwriter Tab Murphy and Producer Patrick Aiello
Journey To Dark Country Featurette

Conclusion:

Dark Country isn't a big release, but if you like Thomas Jane or just good, unique films that have a very clear identity and are fun to watch, Dark Country is definitely one to check out. This one has "Future Cult Classic" written all over it!

RECOMMENDED!

Overall Picture:

Movie: A-
Extra Features: C+

- Mike Spring
Editor