It’s out! It’s out! Hooray!
But first, watch this:
Pretty freaky, eh? Well, if you enjoy that and enjoy something resembling “purer” horror, that goes back to the plain old fear of what may be lurking in the dark, you might want to give Lights Out a try. The plot bay bludgeon you over the head with simplicity, and the acting won’t be winning any awards, but the straightforward simplicity and easy-to-grasp presentation makes it quite a joy to watch. The fact that it’s mostly done via practical effects instead of digital while still looking suitably disturbing is just a bonus.
Overall high points? Diana is creepy. The actors are, while a little bland, doing at least a passable job, and the interrelationships between them work well enough. The ghost has rules and abides properly by them at all times with no noticeable “But how come it worked that time moments?” that I could detect.
The downsides? The plot is sometimes a little heavy handed. The characters are just plain stupid at certain points. (Notably regarding the absence of a father figure and the use of a UV lamp.) At least one character (we’ll call her Cop #2) falls into a plot hole and never returns. There were a lot of unanswered questions at the end (though, to be fair, that sort of may be the point.) And I want more. I would love to see a prequel centered around Diana and Sophie’s interactions as children. A sequel’s not out of the question, though I don’t know how one would do it without violating some of the rules set forth in this film. Still, I’d probably go see it anyway.
Final word? Best horror film I’ve seen come up in a while. Really the first I’ve been able to enjoy since the Poltergeist reboot. Infinitely better than It Follows, which showed such promise. So go check it out, if horror is your thing. Let me know what you think about it down below.
Until next time, kids.
Insomniac Nightmares 
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