When a filmmaker has a minuscule budget, sacrifices must be made… either in scope of story, the amount of names in the cast, or choice of filmmaking locations. In the case of THE DARK HOUR, filmmaker Elio Quiroga (FOTOS, THE HAUNTING from Fangoria’s FrightFest) chooses all three. By gathering together a – for the most part – no-name cast and setting the rather simple story in primarily one location, he hedges his bets and manages to get the most bang for his admittedly limited buck. The story of THE DARK HOUR is indeed simple – a group of survivors scratch out an existence in an underground bunker while “Strangers” (highly infectious zombie-like lepers) and “Invisibles” (freezing temperature exuding energy beings) lurk around every corner. Like say ALIEN, the film focuses not on being a giant shoot-em-up (that would come later in ALIENS), but rather on being a pressure cooker in which the characters are forced to interact and we get to know the back story of what’s happened via their conversations and interplay. The cast, for the most part, are rock solid and the story is told evenly and in an interesting manner. Yes, there are some lapses in narrative judgment (Ana going during The Cold Hour when the Invisibles lurk the desolate corridors, the dispatching of Pablo, the vague justification for Pedro’s mania, etc), but it all still makes for a fun and interesting sci-fi horror tale. Being that it is Spanish-made, the very nature of the film’s storytelling is different than in Western films, but it is in no way less satisfying. But as low-budget movies go, THE DARK HOUR is a solid piece of filmmaking and one I recommend. Just know this is a more character rather than gun-based flick.
3.5 out of 5 stars
~ Thom Carnell
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