“The Darkest Hour” is invading stores this Tuesday. That last statement was not a cheeky way of announcing the arrival of the DVD release. It is a warning to stay away from this movie at all costs. Just save yourselves the money and watch something better on Syfy.
The movie is about Sean (Emile Hirsch) and Ben (Max Minghella), two software engineers who travel all the way to Moscow to sell their website only to be outdone by their Russian counterparts. As they are drowning their sorrows with vodka, strange balls of light begin falling from the sky, turning anyone and everything in their path to dust. Now, Sean and Ben are forced to lead a small group of survivors to safety before time runs out.
This movie feels like something that would be on Syfy as a movie of the week I wouldn’t even give the time of day. I think one of the biggest problems with this film, and just about every alien-invasion film, is the fact that when aliens attack, it isn’t our top scientist that cooks up a way to defeat the extraterrestrial intruders, but a small band of twentysomethings who were out partying it up the night before. It truly baffles the mind, and while some movies at least have enjoyable characters to root for, “The Darkest Hour's” gallery of drunkards just doesn't quite fit the bill.
Frankly, Emile Hirsch should be ashamed. After making quality movies like “Alpha Dog” or “Into the Wild,” you would think he would be more selective about the films in which he stars. With his performance and the quality of the movie, this surely shows that rent came due and he was just a little short that month. And of course, because he is the “star” of the film, he is the one able to dig deep into his memory of high school chemistry, figure out the aliens’ motive and devise the way to kill them.
I think that I probably blame the writers the most for taking away precious moments of my life. Not only did they just slap words down on paper and call it dialogue but they also left out any possible character development. And they both deserve a slap in the face for being so lazy. I mean, come on. Invisible aliens? Is that a joke?
All I can say is that I beg, no, I plead with all of you. If you even have the slightest inclination to buy “The Darkest Hour,” don’t do it. Run faster than you would from invisible aliens. This movie is a glorified B-movie that someone, by the grace of whomever, received a buttload of cash to make. Just to clarify, I figure if we get points for doing the bare minimum of putting our names on our SATs, then this movie should get some points.
Film: 1 Yap