Us
Captain Marvel
Widows
The Walking Dead
Log in with Facebook
OR
By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango.
Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password.
We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified.
Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service.
Dark Places has a strong cast and bestselling source material, but none of it adds up to more than a mediocre thriller that gets tripped up on its own twists.
All Critics (78) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (19) | Rotten (59)
All in all, its contrivances might have been indulged more satisfyingly in a TV miniseries. Jan 21, 2016 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
All in all, its contrivances might have been indulged more satisfyingly in a TV miniseries.
Peter Bradshaw
That unnerving way Flynn has of taking us to dark, deliciously twisted places has been utterly massacred. Jan 19, 2016 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
That unnerving way Flynn has of taking us to dark, deliciously twisted places has been utterly massacred.
Cath Clarke
The third offering from Flynn Dark Places does its best to stir a multitude of emotions within us, but in doing so, the film feels contrived and hurried. Aug 14, 2015 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
The third offering from Flynn Dark Places does its best to stir a multitude of emotions within us, but in doing so, the film feels contrived and hurried.
Miriam Di Nunzio
The surface level generic pleasures of Dark Places and the stellar cast are entertaining enough, even if it doesn't quite stick the landing. Aug 13, 2015 | Full Review…
The surface level generic pleasures of Dark Places and the stellar cast are entertaining enough, even if it doesn't quite stick the landing.
Katie Walsh
The mystery itself eventually becomes tiresome and shrug-worthy, even as the film breathlessly racks up the revelations. Aug 9, 2015 | Full Review…
The mystery itself eventually becomes tiresome and shrug-worthy, even as the film breathlessly racks up the revelations.
Bilge Ebiri
Director Gilles Paquet-Brenner marshaled a top-tier cast and commanded them to tromp across Flynn's intelligent bestseller like investigators muddying a crime scene. Aug 7, 2015 | Rating: C- | Full Review…
Director Gilles Paquet-Brenner marshaled a top-tier cast and commanded them to tromp across Flynn's intelligent bestseller like investigators muddying a crime scene.
Amy Nicholson
[An] apathetic film with no fire in its belly. Aug 30, 2018 | Rating: 5.5/10 | Full Review…
[An] apathetic film with no fire in its belly.
Deirdre Crimmins
All this leaves us with Charlize Theron, an unquestionably talented actress who has somehow failed to find her rightful place. Jan 11, 2018 | Full Review…
All this leaves us with Charlize Theron, an unquestionably talented actress who has somehow failed to find her rightful place.
Uri Klein
... what is exposed is revealing, but the form does not end up being conclusive. [Full review in Spanish] Dec 12, 2017 | Full Review…
... what is exposed is revealing, but the form does not end up being conclusive. [Full review in Spanish]
Hugo Hernández Valdivia
Well over half of the twists don't work and will either leave you groaning or laughing Dec 2, 2017 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
Well over half of the twists don't work and will either leave you groaning or laughing
Robert Kojder
Dark Places aims for the same kind of shocking twists and reveals as Gone Girl, but falls woefully short. Oct 16, 2017 | Full Review…
Dark Places aims for the same kind of shocking twists and reveals as Gone Girl, but falls woefully short.
Sarah Marrs
It's simply an exercise in a kind of grimness that Quebecoise directors seem to enjoy (cf. Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners). But if that's your idea of a good time, you're advised to stick with the novel. Oct 10, 2017 | Full Review…
It's simply an exercise in a kind of grimness that Quebecoise directors seem to enjoy (cf. Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners). But if that's your idea of a good time, you're advised to stick with the novel.
M. Faust
Coming off the success of 'Gone Girl', Dark Places is the adaptation of Gillian Flynn's 2009 novel of the same name and it's all about re-visiting an old case (25 years old) who some say is still unsolved, and so begins the movie. The story was adequate, I was kept intrigued throughout even if the film did drag in some places. The switching between past and present was needed in order to maintain the suspense and fill in details about the plot, so that was good choice. The film was well shot and well directed. Theron and Hoult were excellent, in fact the whole cast was good, especially Sheridan. So why did i not overly enjoy it? Firstly the major twist of the film is way too predictable, too many characters and not enough screen time to actually establish their purpose to the story and finally the characters themselves just aren't likeable. We're supposed to relate to Theron's character and sympathise with her, but she just isn't likeable and thus ultimately did not care for the outcome. If you have low expectations, you may enjoy this film for what it is, and that's a slow dark mystery film...just don't expect to be wowed by it.
Super Reviewer
Go in with lowered expectations, and you might end up doing alright out of Dark Places. If nothing else, you've got to at the very least admire that cast.
So disappointed. I loved the book, but this felt blah to me. Dark and dull to look at, even the cast looked unattractive, and that's quite an achievement. I was bored and I knew what to expect. Admittedly this is because I read the book, but I can't imagine being overly enthralled even if I hadn't. A lot of bits and characters were left out and some of the cast also didn't look right. It felt like a TV movie to me.
The movie was fairly engaging. The ending wasn't satisfactory, but I saw it coming and was prepared enough to not be disappointed by it. There aren't many movies these days around that meet my expectations, and I wasn't expecting much from this either. Thankfully, the low expectations worked in its favor and spared me from the anticipated spell of boredom!
View All Quotes
View All