Excessively Loud and Lengthy

Written by August Tales

Enter the Nightmare

“Don’t Turn Out the Lights” starts off cozily enough – a group of college pals escaping to a music festival. They trade the grind of academia for an agenda of carefree excess, drifting down the highway in their crammed RV, buzzing with anticipation for a weekend of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. However, a chilling encounter throws them off this blissful track onto a road of darkness, where their fight for survival begins.

Not only are they grappling with unknown forces but also with the accelerating tensions within their group. The typical band of buddies – complete with a heavy drug user, an absurdly wealthy friend, and a reluctant female member – morphs into an unpredictable dynamic. Instead of a stereotypical jock, we have a stoic Marine, creating an interesting overlay of characters.

The Longest Detour

Their journey takes a creepy twist when they lock horns with lustful truck drivers – a city slickers vs. hayseed cliche straight from the 80s. This unsavory episode sends them veering way off course and plunges them into yet another confrontation with dimwitted country folk. Here’s where the film stumbles, padding its enjoyable tropes with excessive repetition.

In this unfortunate web of familiar situations, dialogue scenes string along with no value addition whatsoever. No amplifying plot arcs, no character development – just idle chatter about school, money, and casual flings. These futile back-and-forths cause the action to grind to a halt, raising the viewers’ annoyance factor a notch higher.

Loud and Obnoxious

“Turn Out the Lights” tests your patience further by flooding the screen with an all-annoying ensemble. Every character seems to be locked in a contest to be declared the most exasperating, leading to a cacophony of shrill exchanges that miss the charm factor altogether. This seemingly unnecessary trait is a direct offshoot of shoddy writing.

Filler conversations aside, the film teems with poor decision-making and downright foolish moments. Multiple ventures into a dangerous forest become the new norm, stretching the typical horror trope. The nadir, however, arrives in the form of a scene where an unconscious character springs to life, announcing his MIT student status and his magical study stream that could potentially save them all! To add more melodrama to this bizarre scene, he also reveals his father recently died.

A Foggy Conclusion

Had “Don’t Turn Out the Lights” avoided these pitfalls, it could’ve been a watchable horror flick. Instead, it’s a mixture of bad choices with zero likable characters, minimal suspense and a mind-boggling finale that doesn’t help its case.

The film is set to spook audiences in select theaters and on VOD from September 6. Prepare to embrace the darkness, if you will!