Dark Rising (2009)

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Absolutely Fantastic

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

"Dark Rising" is a lot of fun if still plagued with a few minor flaws.**SPOILERS**Still upset over a break-up, Jason, (Landy Cannon) finds that his friends Renee, (Julia Schneider) Marlene, (Haley Shannon) and Jasmine, (Vanessa James) are coming along with him and Ritchie, (Jay Reso) on their camping trip, and uses that to try to get back together. Getting everything together, they start their outdoor activities only for him to keep throwing obstacles between them getting back together, and everything gets put on hold when they're attacked by a strange monster in the forest. Struggling to understand the situation, the group discovers Summer Vale, (Bridgette Kingsley) who they were initially trying to contact via séance, living in the forest and fighting the monsters that were unleashed from another dimension by their black magic book, forcing them to fend off the creature together to get out of the forest alive.The Good News: There was a lot here to really like in this one that really works. One of the best parts is that the film manages to include a lot of action in it that's a lot of fun and gives the film a large dose of excitement and enjoyment. The campsite ambush, beginning with the séance held between the girls surrounded by candles in the middle of the forest to the sounds it makes off in the distance and finally the shots of it stalking them, to the creature appearing at the campfire and chasing them around, leaving bodies in its wake amidst the chaos, is a lot of fun and definitely a highlight moment. The battles with the creature in the forest, from the quick ones with the battle axe to the hand-to-hand combat, are highly enjoyable and definitely add more action into the film, as do the multitude of different dreams that are brought into the fray. As there's several of them, each one has something different. The first is the most visually-arresting, with the different operating tools being laid out and the confusion over everything, while the second one is the tension-packed one with the chained-up women, the darkness around them and the siren as well as the victim being dragged into the darkness screaming uncontrollably with the inevitable awaiting them next. The third one is the action part, where it's a full-on, back-and-forth fist-fight and martial arts filled brawl between the two that is just over-the-top and extra enjoyable. Aside from this, the film also manages to include a few moments of suspense amongst the action, including the initial confrontation with the girl in the house, searching through the empty rooms before finally finding her and the struggle to figure out what's going on and the eventual finding of the bug in her back, cutting it out and the confrontation within all makes for a pretty thrilling sequence. The opening, where the demon is resurrected through the incantation of the spell, followed by the green light glaring through the night, causing the walk-through of the house to discover what's going on searching for her father and the eventual discovery that ensues, is another pretty suspenseful scene, and the later technique where they discover what's going on with her is also quite good. Another plus for the film is that it manages to work in the lesbian subplot and get some mileage out of it, delivery some comedy with them in the bookstore while on the phone to the oblivious boyfriend, a bit of sensuality with the whole group frolicking in bikinis at the camp, including several of them going topless, and finally the sleaze in the full-on sex scene between the two, which is really good. The monster design is quite good, with the skull-like head, horns, warrior helmet and huge spiked-hand, along with its outfit design make for a really memorable creature. The last plus here is the film's gore, which is quite nice. From slices across the chest, a splitting in half, amputation and a decapitation, this one certainly satisfies. These here are its' positives.The Bad News: There wasn't a whole lot wrong here that holds it down. One of the biggest issues here is the fact that the film doesn't really manage to keep it's different story lines cohesive enough, as it tends to shift around between all of its different plot elements and never really makes sure it's important to the scene. It'll simply shift into one of its different stories in the middle of another one, going from the girl's childhood to her past battles with the demons as a warrior/barbarian and then back to the group's struggles in the present and then shifting back to the different dreams where they're fighting the others, are never really put into logical order and the constant shifting around is something that could've been fixed. Also what could've been fixed is the film's lack of explaining anything, since we don't know anything about the creatures other than they come from another dimension, but their purpose, motives or even what the thing is to begin with are all skipped over, as is the explanation of how she became the warrior/barbarian, all crucial items in here to understanding the film. The last flaw here is the rather quirky and utterly stupid music thrown in whenever the guy is failing to impress the girl. It's obvious the guy's a doofus, but to have the non-comedic music that's just plain irritating all the way through doesn't help matters. These here are the film's flaws.The Final Verdict: A whole lot of fun but still containing some flaws here and there, this one really doesn't have much of anything that will really turn off those looking for some fun. Give it a shot if you're into those types of films, a fan of the cast or just interested, while those that aren't into these should heed caution.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity and a sex scene

so last night a friend is over and we're at the point where we decide to watch a movie. we are perusing through Showtime On Demand and we stop at this charming little production because she recognizes her favorite wrestler of all time is in it. i had never heard of it. before the movie even started, based on the incredibly cheap looking title sequence, i thought i knew what we were in for. a movie you KNOW is going to be cheesy but maybe so bad its at least a little entertaining, so you give it a try.oh boy, was i wrong.the first and only time i laughed was when the little girl interrupts her bedtime story with "daddy, the female characters are coming off a little superficial". after that, i thought we would be getting ridiculous one liners and lots of red karo syrup but that never happened - or maybe it did, we had enough and shut it off about halfway in. i am really amazed we made it that far.everything takes forever in this movie and most of the first half is all montages. people driving and enjoying a sunroof = five minute montage. mean-spirited clichéd lesbians making out = = ten minute montage (side note - every time they used their tongues it seemed the camera cut away... but they both get topless later, and of course the scene takes forever). the demon attacked us & wants to finish us off = 15 minutes of slow paced decision making. virtually every scene could have been cut in half and the point would still have gotten across. and the soundtrack is as bad as they come.once the "demon" (pretty shoddily-made robotic thing) shows up with the now scantily clad, sword-wielding, demon slaying heroine, she kills it then leaves only to be later found doing some moonlit bathing in a creek. but it was too late for me to care.it leads to a confusing jumbled mess with characters you do not care about. the acting is terrible and even though they were trying to make a campy typical horror-comedy, you will not be scared and you will not laugh, you will only end up getting really annoyed.

If you are looking to watch an action packed blockbuster movie, stop reading and move along. If you are looking for a good old fashioned solid 'B' movie, this is it. It's not on the same level as say Sam Raimi's classic "Army Of Darkness, show casing the chiseled chin and the witty quips of Bruce Campbell.Yet this movie is the best recent attempt to bring back the campiness that 'B' movies used to offer to the world. Unlike lack luster blockbuster movies this movie is not eye candy, it's brain candy, which Roger Corman has proved time and time again that a movie trying to be serious can be seriously funny if it's made the right way.There is no real story in this movie, no real explanation of what happened, where it happened, and why it happened. What there is a great gaggle of eclectic characters. Some typical flashing of skin, and splashing of blood. That is all that matters to this kind of movie.Plus the appearance of Canadian wrestler "Christian Cage" in a role that would make Bruce Campbell throw up a little in his mouth with pride, was a refreshing surprise, along with the double threat talent of brains and beauty in co-star and producer the stunning, and we need to see more of, Brigitte Kingsley.If you want to feed your brain some mush, this is a movie for you.

This movie is lame and not funny at all. The plot doesn't even make sense. Some scientist who works on the fringes of science opens a doorway to another dimension (maybe hell???) and his daughter gets sucked through it or something, then one day for no apparent reason she comes back and now she has big breasts and wears a skimpy outfit (I guess the demons in the other dimension made it for her?) The main character is a guy who wants to marry his girlfriend but she is gay so obviously she's more interested in her new girlfriend, and they stumble upon this witch spell book (they want to be witches or something???) and the evil spell ends up getting read again which is how the evil demon comes to earth which only the bikini top girl and the spurned guy in love can stop apparently. There is topless scenes for no reason and a guy in it who my boyfriend says is a well known wrestler but his part is completely unnecessary, obviously they made something up just to put him in it because then maybe wrestling fans will actually watch this pointless movie. I'm sure the topless girls doesn't hurt there either. The extra features on the DVD were even more confusing than the rest of the movie, I thought it might help explain what was going on but it actually just made things more confusing. Who are these people and what are they doing? Basically this is a go-camping-to-make-out-then-fight-a-monster movie but there are a bunch of things (like the other dimension and book seller) than make it confusing. I didn't like the movie but it was only like five bucks so big deal. I don't recommend watching it though it was just too stupid, I can't think of any part of the movie that was good.