Overview
A chilling tale of darkness and fear that lurks just beyond the light.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- claustrophobic
- foreboding
- late night horror marathon
- haunted house movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an effective, atmospheric supernatural chiller with strong performances and visceral scares, though its familiar story and clunky script limited its originality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Diana attacks Paul, Martin, Rebecca, and others from shadowed spaces while light provides temporary protection.
Sophie’s relationship with Diana and her children’s attempts to protect her make parenthood and inherited trauma central to the haunting.
Bedrooms, hallways, basements, and other household spaces become dangerous whenever the lights go out.
Rebecca recalls experiencing Diana when she was young and uses that memory to investigate the current attacks on Martin.
Films like Lights Out, and why
The Conjuring
supernatural family trauma, haunted domestic spaces, and escalating ghost-story suspense
The Babadook
a child endangered by a malevolent spirit, parenthood under pressure, and polished jump-scare horror
The Grudge
darkness-based supernatural threat, sibling protection, and emotionally grounded ghost horror
Movie Details
- Director
- David F. Sandberg
- Release Date
- 2016-07-21
- Runtime
- 81 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (4247)
Cast
- Teresa Palmer
- Maria Bello
- Gabriel Bateman
- Alexander DiPersia
- Alicia Vela-Bailey
- Billy Burke
- Andi Osho
- Maria Russell
- Rolando Boyce
- Lotta Losten
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lights Out about?
- A determined young woman battles a shadow-bound entity threatening her troubled mother and terrified younger brother.
- What is Lights Out like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lights Out as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Lights Out violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Lights Out as moderate.
- What did critics think of Lights Out?
- Critics broadly found the film an effective, atmospheric supernatural chiller with strong performances and visceral scares, though its familiar story and clunky script limited its originality.
- Which films are like Lights Out?
- Films with a similar feel include The Conjuring, The Babadook, and The Grudge.
- How long is Lights Out?
- Lights Out runs 81 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lights Out?
- In United States, Lights Out is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
