Thomas Jane’s directorial debut leaves much to be desired. I enjoyed Dark Country more and more for the movie’s first two-thirds. However, the film loses me once it starts going from trying to be a believable mystery to an over-the-top parade of being there/done those moments. I can appreciate movies that force a character to go mad until he slowly reaches the depths of hell (Apocalypse Now, 1408, American Psycho, and, of course, The Shining). But if this is the result you aim for, you will need a first-time director to accomplish that. Dark Country could have gone in a dozen different directions. Unfortunately, for me, and probably for you, too, I was led on a path that left me dissatisfied.
The movie starts innocently enough. A vacationist named Dick (Thomas Jane – The Punisher, The Mist) meets a card dealer named Gina (Lauren German – Hostel Part II, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) in an unnamed Las Vegas casino. The two individuals, each with checkered pasts that are eluded to but not discussed in-depth, have a passionate, sex-filled evening. He quickly falls in love with this beautiful young woman, and the two are married in a few short hours. We meet the characters as they wake up after the marriage, and in a quick five-minute span, we can see how connected these two are to each other, both physically and emotionally.
The plan is to leave their troubles behind in Las Vegas and start a new life together in Los Angeles. But to do that, they need to embark on a long journey across the Mojave Desert in Dick’s vintage 1961 Dodge Seneca. And because the desert’s conditions are unbearable during the day, they must make this journey overnight.
The intrigue that builds through this movie has you hoping and anticipating a considerable payoff. There are early signs that trouble lies ahead. There is a “Missing Persons” sign that the director wants the viewer to see. Dick receives a warning to stay on the main highway at all times from a man in a diner before the start of their trip. The man, known as “the stranger,” also comments, “taking care of your new wife,” which might lead you to believe he has had some past relationship with Gina.
Most of the movie is Dick and Gina getting to know each other. The movie is mainly filmed from a camera on the car’s hood. As expected, when you marry someone you have known for less than 24 hours, they begin to learn about one another’s pasts. And while this puts a wrinkle on their relationship in some regard, it certainly doesn’t strain it. That is until the road they are traveling on abruptly ends, and they realize they have drifted off the main road. It has become pitch black outside, and no other vehicles are on the road. As Dick tries to navigate his way back to the main highway, they encounter a man who is lying on the ground after a single-car accident. Dick decides they need to take the severely bruised and burned body to an emergency room. This is where the fun starts, and the movie takes a turn for the worse.
Without giving anything away, the decisions that Dick and Gina make do bring them together. However, this also has them questioning one another. Who is this man in the car? How well do the two individuals know each other? Why are these series of strange events happening to them? Will they ever find their way out of this maze? We receive answers to some of these questions but not others. As the movie approached its climax, I either liked it less and less or, perhaps, I was enjoying it more and more and was ultimately disappointed by the payoff. Some might call the ending a stroke of genius. Some might call it dumb. Some might call it foreseeable. Many will say, “Huh?” or “Seriously?” Put me in the last group. After watching the ending again without commentary and then again with commentary, I’m still left with the same question of why Jane didn’t just continue with the believable mystery rather than trying to spin it into something supernatural.
Dark Country is a clear example of why I am writing my movie blog. It forces me to engross myself with the movie, watch some scenes repeatedly, and do some research on the Internet as I write the review. This almost always lets me, if nothing else, appreciate the movie more. This movie also has a version with commentary from Thomas Jane and Tab Murphy (the film’s writer). Because there were parts of this movie that, at first, I didn’t understand and then, once I did come to understand them, I didn’t enjoy, I was grateful for the version with commentary.
The shots of the desert are beautiful. The camera work is also excellent, especially considering this low-budget film. I like how mirrors were used, both literally and figuratively. The use of sound was amazing. There were eerily quiet moments, compelling background music, and the music from the car’s old radio, including the static when Gina changed stations, which was also very effective.
I don’t recommend this movie for the casual movie fan. If you only get to watch one or two movies a week, this will be a waste of your time. If you have more time and what I write above makes you curious, check it out!
Plot 6/10
Character Development 4/10
Character Chemistry 4/10
Acting 7/10
Screenplay 8/10
Directing 7/10
Cinematography 8/10
Sound 9/10
Hook and Reel 4/10
Universal Relevance 2/10
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