The Darkest Hour (2011)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2011
	Director: Chris Gorak (various posts on Minority Report, Fight Club and Blade Trinity)
	Actors: Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, Killer Joe, Speed Racer), Olivia Thirlby (Dredd), Max Minghella (The Social Network), Rachael Taylor (Transformers)
	Country: USA
	Genre: SF
	Conditions of visioning: 15.05.2014, HD VOD, Home cinema, 2D
Synopsis: While on a trip to Moscow, two friends (Hirsch & Minghella) end up being part of the few survivors to an alien attack.
Review: This is an American movie but taking place in Moskow and produced by the Russian Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch, Wanted), which is one of the reasons for which I wanted to watch it: this guy really has a taste for strong visual effects. I liked the design of the aliens (all invisible) and the effect they have on leaving creatures when they touch them: to vaporize them in a swirling cloud of ash, reminding of Spielberg's War of the Worlds. The fact that they are given away because they activate light bulbs on their path doesn't make mush sense (why being invisible if you can be found easily like that?!?) but is obviously here to give a chance to the young bunch of humans to fight back. Unfortunately the story brings no surprise at all, it is very linear, full of holes, and the actors are average. I would be tempted to rate it higher because I like the genre of Alien Invasion movies, but I should rather watch again World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles, even if that one is more focused on the military rather than on normal people like The Darkest Hour tries to do.
Rating: 4 /10