Review: In A Dark Place (2006)

I have always been a fan of Leelee Sobieski films (Glass House, Joyride), but this movie strayed woefully far from the standards of movies she previously worked in.

The movie claims to be a remake of Turn of the Screw, the wonderful novel by Henry James. However, aside from the barest similarities in the film's plot, any semblance to the work of James seems more coincidence or accident.

The focus is more often on the lesbian relationship between Sobieski (Anna) and Fitzgerald (Ms. Gose), than on does an actual plot. The viewer walks away feeling the movie is more about bashing males than actually providing any entertainment. Was the boy evil? Was the estate evil? Were the two specters evil in life? Who knows? I watched it and I can't provide an answer.

The brief allusions to suspense are welcome, however far too brief and overshadowed by Anna's flashbacks of molestation her own life. The specters are a nice addition, but treated as more of a background element than anything. More attention is focused on Anna and her non-horror issues than any actual supernatural element.

The writer was far too engrossed in portraying Anna as a "good" character to devote adequate attention to the actual story. Far less focus should have been given to what the original story may or may not have implied and more should have been devoted to making a good movie.

The constant bouncing between elements leaves far too many questions about the main plot and that should not be an issue. This movie is barely a horror, yet barely a drama. It is occasionally suspenseful, but not so much as to tout it as a "suspense."

The lack of a suitable conclusion or close to the film is horrible in and of itself. The viewer is left hanging and wondering if the world is a better place now that all the male characters are gone.

If you watch this movie, be prepared for a long wait, some suspense, a fraction of horror, and a sorry ending. There are no answers to these questions and perhaps it would be better to just read the original novel.

Ghoulish Details:

• Sluggish pace.
• Too many loose ends.
• Feeling that "all men are evil." Unrealistic portrayals in that not even one male character had any positive impact on anyone in the film.
• Wrong elements are deeply explored.
• Too little attention given to the situation as opposed to situations that had nothing to do with the story.
  

Ghoulish Rating: 2 (out of 6)