The Dark Hours
A terminally ill psychiatrist faces a sadistic former patient who turns her isolated family retreat into a night of coercion and terror.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- foreboding
- claustrophobic
- disturbing
- late night horror viewing
- winter horror marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film an effective, intense psychological horror thriller, despite its limited scale and familiar captivity premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Samantha, David, Melody, Adrian, and Harlan are trapped together in an isolated snowy cottage.
Samantha's incurable brain tumor shapes her stress, fear, and confrontation with Harlan.
Harlan forces the family to participate in twisted games in which hidden truths are disclosed.
Harlan is Samantha's former patient and uses knowledge of her psychological and personal vulnerabilities against her.
Films like The Dark Hours, and why
Misery
claustrophobic psychological horror centered on a vulnerable protagonist and escalating domestic terror
Funny Games
single-location hostage horror with sadistic games, moral pressure, and severe psychological discomfort
The Shining
winter-bound cabin setting, family intimacy turned threatening, and bleak psychological horror
Movie Details
- Director
- Paul Fox
- Release Date
- 2005-03-11
- Runtime
- 80 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (104)
Cast
- Kate Greenhouse
- Aidan Devine
- Gordon Currie
- Iris Graham
- Dov Tiefenbach
- David Calderisi
- Jeff Seymour
- Trevor Hayes
- Bruce McFee
Common questions
- What is The Dark Hours about?
- A terminally ill psychiatrist faces a sadistic former patient who turns her isolated family retreat into a night of coercion and terror.
- What is The Dark Hours like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Dark Hours as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Dark Hours violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Dark Hours as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Dark Hours?
- Critics generally found the film an effective, intense psychological horror thriller, despite its limited scale and familiar captivity premise.
- Which films are like The Dark Hours?
- Films with a similar feel include Misery, Funny Games, and The Shining.
- How long is The Dark Hours?
- The Dark Hours runs 80 minutes.
