Rawlins Review: Lights Out

Starring: Teresa Palmer and others

Review (*SPOILERS*):

I didn’t expect too much from Lights Out. PG-13 horror movies are usually pretty lame and at a run time of just under an hour and a half, I wasn’t sure how much of balance there could have been between plot and scares. I was right to be concerned. My first grievance is with how the writers chose to portray Teresa palmer’s character. She wears black and listens to Avenged Sevenfold so obviously she’d be an unfit guadian for her little brother. They also shw that she has a bong which I’m pretty sure was only put there so they could justify the blacklight used at the end to see the ghost/demon. That’s another issue I have. Is Diana a ghost or a demon or what? The movie makes it seem like she’s just a figment of the mom’s imagination. Otherwise she’d probably still be around after the mom killed herself. Maybe I’m missing something. The ending (which I’ve already spoiled) was pretty intense but it was ruined by the little boy’s cheesy lines. Here’s a summary of it: Teresa palmer and her little brother are trapped in a cellar by Diana. Teresa says her boyfriend would never leave and the little boy says “You did”. Then when they’re all together again, Teresa tells her boyfriend “You came back” and the little brother says “So did you”. Gag me. They also never explained why the stepfather was investigating Diana’s past, how he got hold of those medical documents and tapes, or why Diana disappeared whenever there was light but was hurt by Teresa Palmer’s flashlight. Were her disappearances automatic or did she have to make herself do it?

What I Would Have Changed:

After the mother killed herself, I would’ve just let the characters mull over her loss and the battle they’d just come out of. The cheesy little boy would have had no lines.

Verdict:

I wouldn’t watch it a second time. It’s probably good for a scary movie night with friends (even though it wasn’t very scary) and it’s relatively short if you want to watch a better movie afterwards. I would recommend The Others. It’s a way better movie about photosensitive ghosts.

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