Written and directed by Douglas Forrester, a troubled metalhead teen is blamed for the atrocities of a malevolent entity as the ‘Satanic Panic’ sweeps through small-town America in the early 90s. Starring: Joel Meyers, Jaden Gant, Helen Laser, Hollis Fox, Autumn Breaud, David Boldt and Trevor Braun.
You could probably make countless horror or thriller films surrounding the ‘Satanic Panic’ phenomena, it’s a really fascinating example of collective paranoia, hysteria and fearmongering. There’s also a lot of different directions you could take it in, and Douglas Forrester chooses one that’s surprisingly understated. That’s really a key to the success of Carry the Darkness, Forrester takes the time to build a solid, engaging atmosphere and a great leading character with a genuine personality, rather than simply a young kid with a chip on his shoulder.
Another key is how Forrester, along with cinematographer David J. Schultz, create the feel of the era in clever ways. It’s not simply about the clothes, the makeup and the music, it’s also the way they use the locations. There’s something to the quality of Carry the Darkness’ aesthetic that so distinctly taps into the vibe of missing kids in the late eighties and early nineties. It’s that effortlessly sinister edge to what is otherwise such a natural, simple image. Creating that feel of something, or someone, lingering in the shadows, and they craft that very well here.
Not everyone may appreciate the amount of time Carry the Darkness spends on character development, rather than the more horror-specific elements of the story, but it was a good move by Forrester to give the film a touch of authenticity. Especially because Joel Meyers gives an excellent performance, he never overplays his hand, he creates a likable, sympathetic, if slightly spiky, personality in Travis. Even more so when he’s paired with Jaden Gant, the two create a lovely friendship, even if it’s not always smooth sailing, that’s a rock at the heart of the film. Then Helen Laser rounds out the trio with a sweet but troubled presence.
It would have been great to see Hollis Fox’s detective get a little more involved, but she is more than a simple cameo. They also could have threaded the supernatural elements in earlier to give them a stronger foundation. The underlying story to Carry the Darkness’ ghostly presence feels underserved. The resolution is also somewhat unsatisfying, though it undeniably does work, and hits a lot of familiar horror notes.
Carry the Darkness is an entertaining, well-crafted, low-key horror outing. It’s unusual to find an understated style in this context, focusing more on the characters but it’s a nice change of pace which adds a sincerity. There’s a great cast, these young actors all impressively craft captivating, genuine characters. David J. Schultz’s cinematography is excellent to tap into the era and capitalise on the eerie atmosphere. It’s a strong debut feature from Douglas Forrester and it will be interesting to see if he takes another foray into genre cinema.
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