Lights Out is a decent horror flick, B+

Above: Newcomer actors Gabriel Bateman, Teresa Palmer and Alexander Dipersia in Lights Out.

Although it might not be as great as recent horror gems like The Babadook, It Follows or the Conjuring films, Lights Out is a new decent ghost story that stands up on it's own, helped by a creepy atmosphere and good acting.


We all know the story by now. A family is terrorized by spirits in a big creepy haunted house. It's a theme that's been excessively over done in recent years, however, the trick is to make a ghost story that's original while still staying true to the genre. Lights Out does this surprisingly well, offering new twists and turns and a chilling new spirit to the mix.

Lights Out is almost a horror flick for the family. It's one of those rare films in the genre where it doesn't need the access amount of blood and gore to be scary. The thrills and scares in the film are constant, and what makes it a better film in the long run. They are the highlight of the movie, and the dark settings will keep you interested in the story line until the end.

The movie ultimately suffers from being too short at just 81 minutes. While most horror movies are short, Lights Out could have been lengthened to help further character development. The characters in the film are interesting and by the end of the movie, you kind of get a feel that they needed more.

Despite the lack of characterization, the acting in Lights Out is surprisingly good by everyone involved in the film, especially newcomer actress Teresa Palmer who plays Rebecca.

The movie ultimately succeeds in blending a great balance of light and darkness throughout the film. With this it does an excellent job and is one of the reasons why the film is so good and not just your average scare fare film.

However, poor characterization is what keeps this film from being a truly great horror flick. Aside from this, it is mostly surprisingly good, and most fans of the genre won't be disappointed.