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Movies / On DVD / Darkness Falls
Darkness Falls

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Darkness Falls (2003)

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Reviews Counted:125

Fresh:10

Rotten:115

Average Rating:3.2/10

Consensus: A derivative movie where the scares are few and things don't make much sense.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for terror and horror images, and brief language

Runtime: 86 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Theatrical Release:Jan 24, 2003 Wide

Box Office: $32,032,215

Synopsis: For the past 150 years, the legend of Matilda Dixon, "the Tooth Fairy," has hung over the town of Darkness Falls like a dark cloud. After being unjustly accused of a heinous crime, the kindly old... For the past 150 years, the legend of Matilda Dixon, "the Tooth Fairy," has hung over the town of Darkness Falls like a dark cloud. After being unjustly accused of a heinous crime, the kindly old woman was savagely slaughtered by a mad rabble one night, and there are those who say her vengeful spirit hovers over the town, just waiting to pounce on anyone who sees her in the dark.

It happened to young Kyle. One night he saw Matilda and, though he managed to escape her evil clutches, his mother was brutally murdered.

Or was it just a hallucination?

Haunted by his painful memories of that night, and plagued by guilt, Kyle (Chaney Kley) has never allowed himself to be in the dark since. One day, he is summoned back to town by his childhood sweetheart Caitlin (Emma Caulfield), whose nine-year-old brother Michael (Lee Cormie) is having the same nightmares that drove Kyle to the brink of madness.

When he returns, however, Kyle realizes that Matilda’s evil spirit was no figment of his imagination. She is real and extremely dangerous. And if she catches him in the dark again, her horrible, scarred face will be the last thing he ever sees.

Revolution Studios presents A Distant Corners/Blue Star Pictures Production, Darkness Falls, distributed by Columbia Pictures. Starring Chaney Kley, Emma Caulfield and Lee Cormie. The film is directed by Jonathan Liebesman. The screenplay is by John Fasano & James Vanderbilt & Joe Harris from a story by Joe Harris. The producers are John Hegeman, John Fasano, William Sherak and Jason Shuman. The executive producers are Derek Dauchy and Lou Arkoff. Dan Laustsen is the director of photography. The production designer is George Liddle. The film is edited by Steve Mirkovich, A.C.E. and Tim Alverson. The music is by Brian Tyler. Creature Designed and Created by Stan Winston Studio.

Darkness Falls is rated PG-13 for terror and horror images, and brief language. [More]

Starring: Chaney Kley, Emma Caulfield, Lee Cormie, Grant Piro

Starring: Chaney Kley, Emma Caulfield, Lee Cormie, Grant Piro, Kestie Morassi, Alannah Oliver, Joshua Anderson

Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Screenwriter: Joseph Harris, John Fasano, John Vanderbilt
Producer: John Hegeman, William Sherak, John Fasano, Jason Shuman
Composer: Brian Tyler
Studio: Columbia Pictures

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Release:

Apr 22, 2003

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Reviews for Darkness Falls

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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
splat
2.5/4

Felix Vasquez Jr.

his is a very flawed but entertaining and cheesy monster flick that would be fun to watch around a crowd with some popcorn.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 29 2009 03:15 AM

Cinema Crazed

splat

Urban Cinefile Critics

Film lovers beware! The evil spirits of boredom will befall should you enter a darkened cinema and endure Darkness Falls.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 03:33 AM

Urban Cinefile

splat

J. R. Jones

It begins with not one but two prologues; one character turns up out of nowhere, his introduction no doubt left on the cutting-room floor; and the paltry 85-minute running time includes 15 minutes of end credits.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 26 2007 06:12 PM

Chicago Reader

splat

Philip French

A mish mash of horror-movie clichés.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 26 2007 06:05 PM

Guardian [UK]

splat
1/5

Adam Smith

The kind of movie that gets laughs entirely unintentionally.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 30 2006 03:59 AM

Empire Magazine

splat

All semblance of plausibility is extracted, leaving a cast of TV actors to struggle with a plot with more gaps than an eight-year-old's grin.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 26 2006 03:15 AM

Time Out

tomato
3.5/4

Scott Nash

Exactly what a horror movie should be; fun, scary, fast paced, and with 'jump' moments galore.

Full Review Source: | comment 1 Comment | Sep., 30 2005 03:18 AM

Three Movie Buffs

splat

Ann Hornaday

Oy, how it falls.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 26 2005 03:15 AM

Washington Post

splat
1/4

Michael Dequina

This is, quite simply, horror porn, with barely any connective tissue linking each set piece.

Full Review Source: | comment 2 Comments | Feb., 08 2005 09:03 AM

TheMovieReport.com

splat

Andrew Wright

Provides for more than acceptable campfire fare (although at under 80 minutes, it lasts less than most Duralogs), with occasional moments of genuine visceral fright.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 21 2005 07:43 PM

Portland Mercury

splat
2/5

Daniel M. Kimmel

The problem is that both the plot and the characters are so thin that it’s hard to care about anything that’s happening on screen.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 04 2004 03:10 PM

Worcester Telegram & Gazette

splat
1.5/5

Josh Bell

There are a few cheap scares, but overall the film is, well, toothless.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 06 2003 08:05 AM

Las Vegas Weekly

splat
1/5

Shannon J. Harvey

You will find more frights in Finding Nemo. And you might just have more fun playing with your lollie wrappers, performing shadow puppets on the screen – or even picking your nose – than enduring this dimly lit horror movie.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 01 2003 08:00 PM

Sunday Times (Australia)

tomato
3.5/4

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 01 2003 05:05 PM

Sunday Times (Australia)

splat

Alexa Moses

The characters are empty, the performances wooden, and of course, the grave little kid is omniscient.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 30 2003 08:05 AM

Sydney Morning Herald

splat
1/5

Peter Bradshaw

Darkness fell along with my eyelids, during this dire by-the-numbers horror film.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 08 2003 05:12 PM

Guardian [UK]

splat

Mark Bazer

A conventional, mildly frightening, low-grade horror flick with some humor (often unintentional) and as many gaps as a seven-year-old’s mouth.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 02 2003 05:07 PM

Boston Phoenix

splat
1/4

Nick Rogers

Darkness has fallen and it can't get up.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 26 2003 10:44 PM

State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

splat
1/4

Tyler Hanley

Irritating sound effects, cheap scare tactics and a comically bad script all add up to the year's first senseless cinematic attack on the senses.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 20 2003 05:08 PM

Palo Alto Weekly

splat
2.5/5

Rich Cline

There are some scary moments in this film, but basically they're because (1) it reminds you so much of almost every other horror movie you've ever seen and (2) they fill the soundtrack with unsettling and loud noises that would make anyone jump.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 11 2003 08:06 AM

Shadows on the Wall

 
 
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Latest News for Darkness Falls

August 30, 2006: Poster & Plot for "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning"
I was among the initially-skeptical and eventually-impressed who actually really liked Marcus Nispel's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake. Do I think it's even remotely... More...

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February 22, 2006: "Darkness" Director to Helm Jason's Origin Tale
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February 06, 2006: Arquette "Trips" into Directorial Debut
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