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Lights Out makes skillful use of sturdy genre tropes -- and some terrific performances -- for an unsettling, fright-filled experience that delivers superior chills without skimping on story.
All Critics (171) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (131) | Rotten (40) | DVD (1)
Although the movie doesn't offer much in the way of characterization, its cheap thrills are manufactured effectively, like an amusement-park ride designed to rattle the nerves. Aug 1, 2016 | Full Review…
Although the movie doesn't offer much in the way of characterization, its cheap thrills are manufactured effectively, like an amusement-park ride designed to rattle the nerves.
Bruce Diones
The fun wears out fast and so does the "gotcha" factor. Jul 28, 2016 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…
The fun wears out fast and so does the "gotcha" factor.
Rex Reed
Bello is an excellent actress and makes Sophie's anguish credible, although she can't rise above the material. Jul 23, 2016 | Full Review…
Bello is an excellent actress and makes Sophie's anguish credible, although she can't rise above the material.
David Edelstein
At 81 minutes, unfolding in a handful of key locations, and opting for practical effects and clever framing over computer-generated imagery, Lights Out is still lean and concentrated, and it benefits from that spareness. Jul 22, 2016 | Full Review…
At 81 minutes, unfolding in a handful of key locations, and opting for practical effects and clever framing over computer-generated imagery, Lights Out is still lean and concentrated, and it benefits from that spareness.
Alison Willmore
Predictable stuff, energized by some spiffy scare effects and actors who perform well beyond the call of fright-house duty. Jul 22, 2016 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
Predictable stuff, energized by some spiffy scare effects and actors who perform well beyond the call of fright-house duty.
Peter Travers
For the most part, though, the film is just a tired tread through the usual elements. Jul 22, 2016 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
For the most part, though, the film is just a tired tread through the usual elements.
Peter Sobczynski
Lights Out manages to provide story and scares in roughly equal measure; it's the ideal ratio for creating quality horror and one that rarely gets struck. Feb 15, 2019 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
Lights Out manages to provide story and scares in roughly equal measure; it's the ideal ratio for creating quality horror and one that rarely gets struck.
Allen Adams
It seems to rely way too much on the horror genre cliche handbook, which ultimately leaves the tension at a minimum when it should have been much more. Jan 15, 2019 | Rating: C- | Full Review…
It seems to rely way too much on the horror genre cliche handbook, which ultimately leaves the tension at a minimum when it should have been much more.
Micheal Compton
The movie is believable and the characters are very convincing. I have to admit that I definitely screamed and jumped with the rest of them. Nov 12, 2018 | Full Review…
The movie is believable and the characters are very convincing. I have to admit that I definitely screamed and jumped with the rest of them.
Sharronda Williams
...challenging and imaginative. Spicer's experimental lighting gives 'Lights Out' its gripping sheen. Overall, Sandberg's menacing mechanism of a movie certainly forces the shaky hand of its skeptical audience to snuggle up to the nearest light switch. Nov 8, 2018 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
...challenging and imaginative. Spicer's experimental lighting gives 'Lights Out' its gripping sheen. Overall, Sandberg's menacing mechanism of a movie certainly forces the shaky hand of its skeptical audience to snuggle up to the nearest light switch.
Frank Ochieng
Lights Out is a simply scary story that will have you sleeping with the light on. It isn't the most intricate plot, but you have to take it for what it is. Nov 1, 2018 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…
Lights Out is a simply scary story that will have you sleeping with the light on. It isn't the most intricate plot, but you have to take it for what it is.
Molly Henery
Lights Out is a fun little film with a nice amount of depth that you don't usually find in many mainstream horror films nowadays. Oct 31, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…
Lights Out is a fun little film with a nice amount of depth that you don't usually find in many mainstream horror films nowadays.
Trace Thurman
The premise is simply as it is excellent: the monster only moves when it's entirely dark and will avoid any light. The movie creates a few pretty good scares through this. Unfortunately, the plot between those scenes settles on explaining the monster way too soon, which takes away most of the mystery and the threat. The solution is pretty lame, too. Entertaining enough but with quite some wasted potential.
Super Reviewer
An interesting concept expanded from its short-film origins. Though the film's scares are somewhat predictable it still presents a surprisingly thorough story; making Lights Out a solid piece of thrills and chills. 3.5/5
A concept which is sound, delivers scares and jumps in the right places! An enjoyable movie!
When it comes to horror, concept is king, but what's just as important is fully developing that concept to meet its potential, and that's where Lights Out succeeds. This is a low-budget horror movie that taps into a primal fear of the dark with a supernatural entity named Diana that can only be seen outside light sources. Thankfully, director David F. Sandberg smartly thinks of fun and interesting ways to play with this concept, like Diana disappearing in bursts of muzzle fire and a frantic, life-saving use of a car alarm. There's a great suspense sequence where an off screen light from a flickering neon sign, switching off and on steadily, sets up audience expectations and lingers, drawing out the fear. The editing is terrific. There's also a surprising subtext tackling the issue of mental illness and depression, as Diana, the malevolent spirit tethered to Maria Bello's character, only seems to appear during the rougher patches of her life, and Diana fights against Bello getting "better" which weakens her existence. Theresa Palmer settles in as a capable heroine that genuinely cares for her younger brother in danger from her mother and her "friend." The movie also subverts some genre clichés and treats its handful of characters with credibility. While the very end leaves some questionable final statements on mental illness, Lights Out is an elevated B-movie that takes its fun premise and executes it with aplomb. It's worth 90 minutes in the dark. Nate's Grade: B
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