A man called Paul (Billy Burke) is working after hours and is murdered by a supernatural entity in the shadow. When his son, the boy Martin (Gabriel Bateman), is frightened by the same creature, he sees his mother Sophie (Maria Bello) talking to an imaginary friend called Diana (Alicia Vela-Bailey) in the shadow of her room. Martin does not sleep anymore during the night but in classroom and his older stepsister Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) that lives alone is summoned by the social assistant. She brings Martin home and recalls he own experience with Diana years ago when she was young. Sophie and her boyfriend Bret (Alexander DiPersia) investigate the connection of Sophie with Diana and come up to a scary revelation about their past.
"Lights Out" is a flawed horror film that startles the viewer. The high-quality production has top-notch cinematography, associated to a great cast highlighting the wonderful Teresa Palmer and Maria Bello. Unfortunately the story has many flaws and it is not well explained. For example, why the light burns Diana in the end (could it be because it was directed to her?) and not along the film?; or why Sophie's suicide destroys Diana (was she creating the entity? Why?). Was Sophie having problems with her first and second husband? Or is just Diana's jealousy. Or how it was explained to the police how Paul, two police officers and a housewife were mysteriously murdered. The writers could have been more careful with viewers that are not brainless. At least, in "Der Fluch von Darkness Falls" (a.k.a. "Darkness Fall"), the entity is better explained. But anyway it is worthwhile watching this film. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Quando as Luzes se Apagam" ("When the Lights Are Out")
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