Don’t snuff your own ‘Lights Out’

Following in the footsteps of horror shorts turned into successful full-length features "Mama" and "Babadook", director David Sandberg and writer Eric Heisserer take their creepy 2013 short film "Lights Out" and try to build on the lore for the big screen.

The result, though open to nitpicking, is fairly smart and somewhat genuinely frightening. The movie's monster inflicts physical harm, so there's more risk for the characters than just damaging their throats from screeching at jump scares.

They're all pretty sensible, too. Our lead is Rebecca, an aloof-ish blonde who comes to the aid of her younger stepbrother Martin after he falls asleep in class. The reason? He caught their mom, Sophie, talking to a monster.

Martin is the kind of human we all wish we could be. 

It's a stroke of luck that he's the most well-adjusted kid to ever encounter a monster or else Rebecca's affection for him might've seemed unbelievable for the audience. Instead of running around trying to prove the existence of the monster to the characters, the movie spends more time scaring them and developing them enough to be likable to the viewers.

Martin is especially endearing, because he loves his mom—mental disorder and monsters be damned. He refuses to leave her despite the difficulty of the situation, but he's also wise enough to seek help. If only we could be as well-adjusted as this child.

There are holes in the plot, but "Lights Out" isn't being dragged around by the shtick from the trailer. The camera work is solid in several sequences and, again, the characters are well-written. Even the supporting cast, in the form of Rebecca's non-boyfriend Brett, received cheers from the audience in the theater and most were at the edge of their seats hoping he survives.

Brett is the boyfriend we all wish we had. He buys the groceries, no questions asked, and trusts that you can take down monsters. 

Where the movie falters, however, is an unclear message it sends towards as it reaches its climax. For a while, it keeps the audience hooked as it puts them in the perspective of this family and how important this bond is in fighting demons (in the real world or "just in your head"). The weight of Sophie's mental health problems plague the film and everyone struggles with her. She is constantly terrorized and, with only her son with her, is too weak to fight.

Invest in a good night light! 

The monster, whether literal or figurative, has made it difficult to give her the help she needs. She is consumed by the darkness, which in the film has a name, and when she sees that it's damaging the people she loves, she looks for way to end it all.

If you find yourself in a vaguely similar position, remember that the monster is afraid of the light. Extinguishing yours won't destroy it. —KG, GMA News

The movie opens opens on Thursday, July 21, in local cinemas.

Photos from Warner Bros. Pictures