THE DARKNESS is another hodge podge of tired ideas like many horror films today. The story is about an ordinary family who visit the Grand Canyon. A kid brings some rocks back home, but it turns out they're cursed by a demon which proceeds to follow them and make their family life a misery. Despite the presence of some useful players here this is very much an ordinary production which I found very mundane. There are bits and pieces of THE EXORCIST, POLTERGEIST, INSIDIOUS and plenty of other films visible throughout and yet the film has no distinct voice like any of those other movies. Kevin Bacon and Radha Mitchell are good value as the parents but they have little to work with here and Bacon's STIR OF ECHOES was much more entertaining. Director Greg McLean previosly made mini-masterworks like ROGUE and WOLF CREEK so it's a shame to see him wasting his time on this; try THE BELKO EXPERIMENT for a much more enjoyable time.

Peter (Kevin Bacon) and Bronny Taylor (Radha Mitchell) are vacationing in the Grand Canyon with their kids and friends. Little Mikey falls into a cavern where he finds ancient Indian artifacts. Evil spirits follow him home to their suburban home.

None of this is scary. There is no atmosphere other than a tired sense of suburbia. Most damning of all is the lack of investment in the characters. They are flat with no depth which is surprising considering the acting power present. With all the great actors, none of it sticks. The flat dialogue does not help. The final confrontation is part cheese, part CGI non-sense, and part every Poltergeist concept. There is a suggestion of a fascinating belief or disbelief due to Mikey's autism. However, the audience needs to be conflicted for that to work. Few of this works. Its greatest problem is that it's derivative and inferior.

I am Diné (Navajo) and I am giving this movie one star because the acting was good. But the story line is way off. First of all Anasazi to Navajo is "ancient enemy", Second we don't speak Spanish nor use Christian symbols for ceremonial purposes and third at least use a real Navajo and the one that is fluent in Diné Bizaad (Navajo language). I am sure they can find one person on the rez. We all still practice our culture and ceremonies (medicine men) to this day. Its funny they use Hopi Kachinas as Anasazi people. (Different) Haha, way way way off! Please better educate yourself Hollywood. And no Navajos don't have teepees, we have Hogans.