The Horror Show
Super Dark Times
by Kevin Phillips
The art of the movie is anything but simple. Tones and styles bleed together and give the viewer all sorts of different emotions. A lot of the time, non-horror genres can take on an almost horror-tone. Or maybe it's that sometimes horror movies take on the tone of other genres. Maybe it's both. Regardless, I think there's a lot of darkness in the world and even if it's not always straight horror, that is still the heart of horror. I raved about Boys in the Trees, which, despite having direct horror elements, turned out to be a haunting, dark drama for the most part. I love when this happens as there's some part of my subconscious that just loves the feeling of crisp air, evening time, despair, and melancholy. It's hard to explain, but every once in a while I'll come across a film that has these elements. It's something that transcends genre, it's more of a dreamy emotion that flows throughout a project. When I first came across Super Dark Times I immediately felt that this would be the type of project that I would love for these reasons. And in the end I was right.
Super Dark Times tells a sad story with a simple concept and that is where its beauty lies. School-age best friends Josh (Charlie Tahan) and Zach (Owen Campbell) seem like nothing can break them apart. The two are often thought of as a duo and spend time every day with each other. They're childhood friends who have been through a lot together. But what once seemed like an unshakable friendship soon becomes compromised when a horrific accident takes place. I won't go into the specifics (although the trailer will give you a pretty good idea what's going to happen) but it's all done very realistically. More importantly, it's something that you can't really blame anyone for, but can absolutely see the dire consequences that arise at the same time.
The bulk of the film deals with the two young men being driven apart by their own experience living with themselves. Most attention is focused on Zach, the less guilty of the two parties. Josh seems to have lost his light and is receding, behaving dead and unpredictable. Zach is the one who has the experience most audiences would be able to relate to. He tries to hold it together but is consumed with all the understandable elements of living with guilt and fear. A girl from Zach's class he's quite taken with named Allison (Elizabeth Cappuccino) begins to show an interest and becomes a shoulder for him to lean on. Like with Boys in the Trees I like that a female interest character is present as the rest of the character's experience is so bleak. It's nice to have a sliver of hope, even if you know there's a chance things are going to stay dark.
How the film plays out is unique and wonderfully unpredictable. I expected it to run its course somewhat like Very Bad Things, for example, with characters just turning on each other and trying to get ahead of the secret. That's not the case with this one, however. The event the film focuses on really changes the characters in serious ways and I was genuinely at a blank for how it was all going to turn out. And while I won't ruin anything I will say that it gets quite intense.
Everyone in the film brings their A game. The only actor I was previously familiar with (at least that I could recognize) was Charlie Tahan. I knew him from the amazing work of art that is Netflix's Ozark and he is every bit as good in this. Owen Campbell won my respect instantly in his role as Zach. Zach is, in a lot of ways, the most tortured character. He doesn't get the emotional break his friend does and lives with deep-rooted anxiety that he carries with every look, every motion. Elizabeth Cappuccino is also of note as Allison. She adds a quality to the film that's difficult to explain. In her own, gentle way, she serves as a beacon of light, but one that is her own character and is just as sympathetic as some of the others.
The whole film just shines with competency. It's clear from the first frame that those involved knew exactly what they wanted to do and were going to accomplish it without fault. It's not a light film. Super Dark Times is an accurate title. It's a rough experience and leaves you with a feeling that isn't all warm and fuzzy. At the same time, it's a beautiful film in a way and I appreciated every frame. According to IMDb, this is the first feature solo-directed effort from Kevin Phillips and I find that so impressive.
When you get right down to it, Super Dark Times is exactly what I wanted it to be. In a weird way, I say that because it's not what I expected. That may sound like a contradiction, but it isn't. I didn't want a paint-by-the-numbers film about a cover-up. There are plenty of great films with such a concept and this one goes out of its way to chart its own territory and revel in the sadness. I highly recommend this film, but I feel that at this point that goes without saying.
P.J. Griffin, HMS
The Horror Show Menu.