Better than the last few Paranormal Activities, Dark Skies features a family beset not by things that go bump in the night, but by things that abduct in the night.
A welcome change from ghosts, the alien abuse of the Barret family escalates nicely and even though we know the tropes (bright lights, implants: all the X-Files classics) they’re employed well enough to catch you off guard and seem fresher for being played for chills. The parents (Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton) are good, as is the youngest son, but the main tweenage son (Dakota Goyo) is thoroughly unlikeable. His coming-of-age side plot is awkward, unintentionally amusing and his name is Dakota bloody Goyo.
There’s also a pair of cool bit players, a great smug cop and sweet security system guy, but it’s J.K. Simmons who steals the show. His alien abduction victim and now expert makes the crazy seem perfectly rational and thus even scarier. The “visitors” get shown far too much as we near the end, which may not have necessarily been a problem – the aliens in Signs (2002) still hold up now – but the CGI is ropey enough to sap their scariness away. This is odd, as the effects elsewhere are fine, so these shots are most likely last minute additions.
Extras: The DVD comes with some decent extras. There’s a commentary featuring writer/director Scott Stewart, alongside producer Jason Blum, the exec producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and the film’s editor Peter Gvozdas. It’s a crowded house, but that’s good as there are little to no quiet patches.
The other bonus material is a batch of deleted/alternate scenes. These are a bit of a mixed bag, with some scenes nearly identical to the final versions. It is interesting to see what a difference such small changes make though. A focus on the neighbours’ reactions was wisely eradicated and the alternate ending is better than the one in the movie. Also, some, but not all, of these scenes have commentary.
An extra-terror-estrial horror with some very effective jumps, a decent transfer (even in standard def) and some worthwhile extras make Dark Skies worth a probe.
Alan has awarded Dark Skies on DVD three Torches of Truth
