Mercury
is a naturally occurring element, so who’s to say there really was a spill at
the “old paper mill?” Or maybe those grudge-holding supernatural hellions are
actually the restless spirits of children killed by conquistadors instead of
mercury-riddled kids. Either way, they want some payback against exploitative
westerners in Lluís Quílez’s Out of the
Dark (trailer
here),
which opens tomorrow in New York.
Sarah
Harriman has come to Colombia from the UK to take over the old man’s paper
mill. Not the “old mill,” mind you. Nobody goes there anymore. She will be
managing the shiny new mercury-free mill. Her husband Paul is able to stay at
home with their daughter Hannah, because he is a children’s book illustrator.
Is that job really cool enough though? Maybe he should have been a rock &
roll children’s book illustrator.
As
we know from the prologue, there are some very hacked off whatevers haunting
the Harrimans’ palatial new digs. Poor Dr. Contreras Sr. will sacrifice his
life for the sake of our exposition. Before long, they start tormenting young
Hannah, who subsequently starts exhibiting signs of a bizarre malady. Of
course, the Harrimans are concerned, but they keep shutting her door tight and
nipping off to the opposite side of the oligarchical estate. Hey guys, maybe keep
the door open a crack or buy a baby monitor or just quietly check on her every
so often? Before long, the malevolent beings make off with Hannah, driving each
Harriman out looking for a trail to follow.
It
seems like an awful lot of Out consists
of the Harrimans standing around, saying things like “oh, don’t disturb her, I’m
sure she’s fine.” Still, the house is terrifically creepy. Also, Julia Stiles
and Scott Speedman come across like a believable couple (but not too bright).
As Grandpa Jordan, Stephen Rea is a dependably intriguing screen presence,
especially when he skulking around, greasing the palms of corrupt Colombian
politicians. However, young Pixie Davis is the only member of the family who
sounds legitimately British (somehow she has an Irish grandfather, a Canadian
father, and an American mother).
