I’m not gonna lie, I had never considered that a Stone-Age-set horror movie could exist. I live with the memory of Roland Emmerich’s 10,000 BC and how utterly boring that was. When they announced that this film, originally released at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival, I was heavily skeptical.
I love being wrong about things like this.
Out of Darkness, the feature-length directorial debut of Andrew Cumming, is one of the more interesting horror offerings this year. It’s an interesting take on modern problems like Imperialism, xenophobia, and even misogyny. There’s also a creature in the night that is violently attacking a small group of humans, snatching them up and violently dispatching them.
Six of these humans have sailed to an unnamed land, all seeking a better life. Adem (Chuku Modu) has brought his mate, Ave (Iola Evans), brother, Geirr (Shadow & Bone‘s Kit Young), and son, Heron (Luna Mwezi) along with a stray named Beyah (Safia Oakley-Green) and an elder male named Odal (Amo Luening). Adem is bullheaded and unpleasant but he has kept them alive so far. On discovering that this promised land is barren, the troupe doubles down and heads further and further inland. Heron is snatched away one night, pursued by the crew through a forest as they begin getting picked off one at a time.
Barebone plots like this allow for some gnarly violence and direct storytelling. Out of Darkness clips along at an intense pace, dragging the viewer through the woods and mountains and plains of this younger Earth. It’s an ugly world, based in violence and necessity due to the shortage of food and shelter. Nothing about Cumming’s debut is easy despite being incredibly simple and straightforward.
It helps to have such a talented cast that grew fluent in a fictional language. No one is playing to the cheap seats, instead giving performances that honestly remind me of the 2005 film The Descent. Kit Young is a raw nerve, a great counter to Chuku Modu’s brutal and animalistic leader. The real star is Safia Oakley-Green, a performer that I’ve somehow missed that should be considered a star. She’s wild, physical, and also gentle when need be. Great cast that I had so much fun with.
Out of Darkness is ultimately more of a thriller than a horror film, but that shouldn’t deter you. This unique little film is a great time and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Out of Darkness is available to rent/buy digitally from all usual retailers.
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