Director – James Ashcroft (The Watercooler, Pigs)
Starring – Daniel Gillies (Spider-Man 2, The Originals), Erik Thomson (Xena: Warrior Princess, The Ray Bradbury Theater), and Miriama McDowell (Happy Hour, The Brokenwood Mysteries)
Release Date – 2021
Rating – 3/5
Several weeks ago I received a press release for the New Zealand horror thriller Coming Home in the Dark and the trailer instantly pulled me in. It looked gritty and grounded while delivering a horrifying road trip horror story. I was quick to request a copy and once it arrived I couldn’t wait to spin it. When other genre fans mentioned how bleak and brutal it was that only fueled my curiosity. I want to thank Dark Sky Films for sending this one over for me to review!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows teacher Hoaggie (Thomson), his wife (McDowell), and his two step-sons who are traveling the countryside when they stop on some coastal cliffs for a little picnic. Their little stop turns deadly when two men, Mandrake (Gillies) and Tubs, arrives demanding their money and other valuable belongings. A normal backroad robbery turns into a murder/kidnapping when they discover who the teacher is and how he is connected to the childhood trauma of both men. **Spoiler Alert**
Coming Home in the Dark is not a compelling film nor it is as brutal and bleak as I was lead to believe. Maybe reviewing all those Unearthed Films and A Baroque House releases over the years has desensitized me but I didn’t feel like this was all that dark or brutal. Sure, the story has a moment or two that pulls you in but that’s good writing and not depravity.
The acting in this one is fucking fantastic. Thomson, McDowell, and the rest of the supporting cast does an amazing job but it’s Gillies that makes the film what it is. His character in the film non-chalantly kills and abuses people with no remorse but once he makes the connection with the teacher in the film he goes from spree killer to methodical maniac. I loved watching him transition as the film progresses. His character was brilliantly written and Gillies does an outstanding job at bringing him to life.
The story for this one is a road trip horror tale meets revenge thriller. The film does start with a kick and when the twist is revealed it relies on the viewer’s reacting to it but normal horror fans may not respond the way Ashcroft and the rest of the production team is expecting. I’ve watched dozens of films that were more relentless and brutal than this film was. With that being said, don’t let that deter you from checking it out. It’s dark and gritty at times but is still fun if you can look passed the long, drawn out scenes that are dialogue heavy.
Finally, the film has some bloody moments but the deaths are not that memorable. The film has a small body count with some decent enough effects but don’t expect a gory flick with imaginative deaths. Overall, Coming Home in the Dark is a dark thriller that has a few moments that kick hard but could have been a lot more brutal and twisted. It’s fun but don’t believe everything you hear about it.
