User reviews

'The Darkness' is an interesting interpretation of a spy-thriller, that isn't altogether demeaning to women. Although rumour has it, the performance of Rachel Clements as Hilary (an ex navy seal cum receptionist) was edited greatly by the Bauer brothers, I feel her presence adds a certain verve to the overall production.

This is a well-directed piece, and I especially enjoyed the 'making-of' showreal. Director, Marc Burrage was obviously a genius at balancing action with raunchy, snazzy cuts of narration, while Matt Bauer's speedy special effects are worthy of much praise. The cast pull off their accents well, particularly Andrew Croucher, who is a director and writer in his own right. I feel that his appearance is typical of the close, passionate relationship he shared with director/writer Marc Burrage. Their real life relationship reflects in an electric screen chemistry.

Meanwhile, the short but sweet appearance of Chris Davies as a random salesman, demonstrates his strength as such a reluctant star. He has great on screen charisma, and takes the piece to its very epicentre. His softly spoken, naive character signifies perhaps the corruption and power of the spy-world, before introducing Mike Bailey as a tour-de-force amongst villains. Davies and Bailey create a subtle paradox which only really comes to the fore as the film unfolds.

This film is obviously angst ridden, and the spectator can amost feel the wild Marxist metaphors scripted by Burrage, conveying his dislike of governmental underworlds and policed society. I feel it is a great achievement on such a slim budget; a work which reflects the mood and atmosphere of its time. A zanny Hollywood-esque movie which reaches into the heart of darkness.

Saw this on late-night NZ TV, and I was very impressed with what a group of people can do with such a limited budget. Marco Di Buragi had a tough role as a Russian agent, but he pulled it off very well. There's a good supporting cast, noteably Andrew Croucher as a fellow Russian agent.

Overall, the story is a little far fetched, but it's a great little pop corn movie!

I usually hate made for TV movies, but I really liked this one! It's made by an indepedent company over in England, and is all about a Russian agent brought back from the dead to help stop a terrorist from killing off a witness. I hope they make another one soon!

Any body who sees the darkness without knowing the story behind could be forgiven for thinking it is terrible. The story is a little thin and so the writer, Marc Burrage, decided to fill it out with the main character being the first succesful recipient of a brain transplant. This has nothing to do with the rest of the story. The acting is wooden at it's best and the effects are laughable. The movie is bad, but is a tremendous achievement for those involved. Nearly all involved were 16-18 years of age and the budget was a less than £500. With a only a video camera, some friends, and a computer editing system they picked up for £10 pounds in from a seedy looking salesman in some eastern country, Marc Burrage and the Bauer brothers have created a film that is highly entertaining, even if it is a little silly. The movie has a fast paced visual style that is similar in every way to that of Hollywood blockbusters. The Darkness has a fantastic soundtrack featuring music from many big artists. But the biggest achievement of The Darkness is getting recognised on this site. So despite some interesting storylines (let's face it James Bond and Mission Impossible are hardly reality driven) and some poor acting, The Darkness is an enjoyable 50 minutes for anyone who is interested in making movies on a shoestring.