Coming Home in the Dark (2021)

Coming Home in the Dark (2021)

So…
I didn’t like this film, I almost hated it.
But I can’t give it the lowest mark, because it doesn’t sink into the worst, despite a truly atrocious, even unbearable beginning. At the same time, James Ashcroft breaks and destroys what was once a source of suspense. The script plays its cards too quickly.

Hostel apparently wanted to put an end to the desire to go to Slovakia; Wolf Creek doesn’t make tourists want to go to Australia. Here, the setting is New Zealand.

The violence here doesn’t really compare to Saw, Hostel, Eye Hill or even Wolf Creek, in fact, although there are similarities. The first of these films were good. But they often should have stopped there.

The violence in this film is closer to Funny Games from 1997 or its 2007 remake.

I read a very positive review of this film that said: ‘A very good thriller that stands out from the crowd. Resolutely gripping, cold and ruthless. Not a film that is easily forgotten, up for grabs!’

It is indeed a cold and ruthless thriller that is not easily forgotten!
That’s for sure!!!
Well…
Let’s just say that what’s shocking is unforgettable. The rest makes for a forgettable film.

I respect films in this genre that don’t endlessly feature torture, gore, slit throats and bullets in heads splattering the walls. But this one sinks into boredom and probably incoherence. You don’t really get all the explanations you want, even if you have a pretty good idea.

The rest of my review contains spoilers, if any. Be warned!

There are some interesting things: the criminal realises the screw in the tyre, but not the toilet lid with the message written on it.

What makes the film really hard to watch is the way it starts. It gets off to such a brutal start that you don’t necessarily want to see anything worse. On the one hand, it’s a sign of things to come. On the other, anyone hoping for a crescendo of violence is bound to be disappointed. But it’s been a long time since we could do anything about this kind of individual.

As a result, some people have no doubt stopped seeing the film or walked out of the cinema. I’m saying that, but I’m not sure this film was ever shown in cinemas. Anyway!

The film tries to lead the viewer on false leads, but in a totally pointless way, like the shots in the river, where the viewer is led to believe that someone is in the river.

The ending is interesting but, at the same time, not too surprising. In fact, you can see a lot of things coming, especially for those who are used to this kind of feature film. You could just say that it’s a story that’s been seen many times before, comparable once again to the Neo-Z version of Eden Lake, which isn’t very good, with a first part that starts off well, then veers off into nonsense right up to the end. A couple and their two children are about to have a picnic in a beautiful, isolated spot. Their meal is interrupted by two strangers…

The actors have charisma, but that’s kind of what saves them. It’s not their acting that’s transcendent. And that goes with those inconsistencies I was talking about. We don’t react like that and the audience doesn’t believe it for a second. You can’t just watch loved ones being killed in front of your eyes, then get into a car with the criminals and even have a chat!

So respect for the little violence shown… but it’s all cancelled out by too much unnecessary violence, too. If this was a revenge story, why shoot all the teenagers, without exception, who are having fun skidding around in their cars?

Here’s another review that’s just added to mine: ‘A family outing that turns into a nightmare and an escalation of violence. A tense psychological drama, based on a revenge plot that’s been seen many times before and peppered with dead moments. Banal and ultimately pointless.’

Then there’s the fact that, while this is the case in the first few minutes, we don’t really get the impression that the characters are in danger the rest of the time. The director fails to create the kind of tension that would make us fear the worst at every moment. Which may be reassuring for the most sensitive viewers.

That said, the structure of this kind of thriller remains fixed and it is difficult to escape the obligatory stages of this kind of project. Another option is to change the setting, and here, as we’re dealing with the wilds of New Zealand, I’d imagined that something a bit special might come out of it. But let’s be clear, this won’t be the case again: the treatment of the characters unfortunately makes them indistinguishable from Americans, British or Australians.

Finally, this time the film is shot in an interesting location, but we don’t get to enjoy the scenery. It’s a shame it’s so poorly developed.