68
Metascore
18 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisUnfolding entirely in a fictional language (which the actors deliver with fluid conviction), and enriched by lovingly rendered practical effects, this first feature from Andrew Cumming pairs its minimalist narrative with the maximum of atmosphere.
- 80The Daily BeastNick SchagerThe Daily BeastNick SchagerA midnight movie that recognizes that there’s no existence without sacrifice, and no birth without death.
- 75Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreThe frights may be standard issue, but that novel setting, the ways characters rise to or shrink from their greatest tests, and the grim nature of human life in this most fragile of ages make Out of Darkness a winner, right down to the minimalist pun of its title.
- 75RogerEbert.comGlenn KennyRogerEbert.comGlenn KennyThe story told in “Out of Darkness” is ultimately sad more than terrifying, a parable about violence and the roots of human war. It’s an impressively credible and gnarly journey back in time.
- 70Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzArizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzEven at less than an hour and a half, the film is, shall we say, patient in unfolding its story. Part of this is set up, lulling the audience for the shocks to come.
- 67Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerAustin ChronicleRichard WhittakerCumming presents a natural world red in tooth and claw, yet the inevitable lessons learned in this moss-covered and frost-blasted wilderness still have modern resonances – about fear, bigotry, superstition, survival.
- 63Slant MagazineRoss McIndoeSlant MagazineRoss McIndoeShot in the Scottish Highlands, Out of Darkness draws on the eerie atmosphere of a place that still feels ancient and steeped in mystery.
- 60ColliderChase HutchinsonColliderChase HutchinsonOut of Darkness is an often jaw-dropping horror debut that arrives at a more substantive conclusion that makes everything more interesting in retrospect.
- 50The PlaylistBrian FarvourThe PlaylistBrian FarvourWhile Out of Darkness is by no means bad, it’s far from the iconic status Cumming presumably hoped to achieve.
- 42The Film StageEthan VestbyThe Film StageEthan VestbyIt’s lacking in the genuine requirements for this kind of picture––any real suspense, terror, or ickiness.