Set 45,000 years ago, Out of the Darkness follows a group of early humans who are desperately looking for a new area to settle. Added to the group is Beyah (Safia Oakley-Green), an outsider who wants to join their tribe but creates conflict with their domineering leader. When they begin to realize that there is a bloodthirsty monster hunting them, they flee out of terror of what lurks in the night. With a forest in front of them, the group must confront their fears as they step into the darkness with the hope of finding light on the other side.
Directed by Andrew Cumming, Out of the Darkness is a tightly-written thriller that has more to say than one might expect. lan Performances are strong and special effects are minimal. Nevertheless, Cumming ensures that each scene feels purposeful and effective. (It’s also entertaining to see these characters speaking an entirely new language that was created specifically for the film.)
Visually, the film is striking with its simplicity. Immersing the screen in shadows, Cumming ensures that the only place of safety are those who are huddled around the light. By only travelling a few feet away, these characters step into the unknown with terrifying results. This is a world where the things that go bump in the night are liable to tear you asunder, leaving them clinging to what they can see. (In this way, the film feels heavily influenced by The Blair Witch Project.) While rarely gory, Darkness taps into the violent nature of the wilderness, allowing the unknown can haunt our nightmares.
Even though there’s fun to be had as we watch these characters evade the mysterious beast, the film feels more like a character drama than the trailer would suggest. For Beyah and her clan, survival is the goal. This uncharted territory is treacherous terrain and requires them to scratch and claw their way through the night.
But Darkness looks deeper into the shadows of the soul.
As Beyah begins to taps into her darker side, the film begins to ask questions of where the line between man and monster lies Although they are running for their lives, there is a definitive cry for these characters to keep their humanity. There’s strength and courage within Beyah that shows resiliency and fire… but there’s also a willingness to go too far, when deemed necessary. In doing so, Darkness almost feels like the first attempt for prehistoric mankind to find their moral compass. Because of its prehistoric setting, there would be no particularly clear line… yet Cumming allows for his characters to wrestle with some complex ideas. (After all, when you live in a world of beasts, what does it take to prevent us from becoming one ourselves?)
As a result, Out of the Darkness’ title appears to take on a double form. Yes, the drama takes place under the cover of nightfall, lit only by the torches that they carry. But it also taps into the notion that these are a people who are trying to bring light into the way that they understand one another as well. This is a story about evolution of the mind.
But that’s why it works. Even in a prehistoric era, it doesn’t want to leave mankind in the dark.
Out of the Darkness is available in theatres on Friday, November 10th, 2023.
