They Wait in the Dark (2022) Review

They Wait in the Dark (2022) Review

Amy and her adopted son Adrian are on the run from her abusive ex-girlfriend Judith. Desperate to stay hidden, Amy and Adrian take refuge in her family’s abandoned farmhouse outside her Kansas hometown. Soon, a supernatural force from Amy’s dark past begins haunting Adrian. With the vengeful Judith in pursuit, Amy and Adrian find themselves locked in a showdown between the threats both outside and in.

From award-winning writer/director Patrick Rea (I AM LISA), THEY WAIT IN THE DARK stars Sarah McGuire (THE STYLIST) as Amy, a mum fleeing with her son from her abusive partner Judith, encountering something even more terrifying when she seeks refuge in the old farmhouse, she grew up in.

THEY WAIT IN THE DARK is a slow burn and being a slow-burn it is therefore more dependent on dialogue and the performances to keep the momentum going. Unfortunately they don’t. This is a shame for me to say this as I know from previous experience that director Patrick Rea has ably delivered the goods before.

There is a twist towards the end but when it comes it’s already too late in the day to save this from sinking. There’s only so many times you can sit through scene upon scene of a parent and child squabbling. Ironically, Amy, the parent keeps saying that she is doing all of this to protect her son Adrian, when most of the time Amy is so brutal with her language and behaviour that you wonder if she’s not quite got the handle on what it might take to make a kid feel safe. Disappointing.

SEE THE OFFICIAL TRAILER HERE

THEY WAIT IN THE DARK IS RELEASED DIGITALLY ON 13 NOVEMBER