A couple’s night of romance and passion under the brightly lit night sky is abruptly interrupted when a monster-like creature appears, and the pair are brutally murdered. After this introduction to the town, we meet Charley (Alex Hurt), a talented artist facing various challenges and personal issues. He also seems to enjoy drinking straight from a bottle. Charley is in the middle of packing up his belongings, hoping to leave town, but when he receives word a friend of his has been accused of a gruesome murder involving young children, he stops.
As Charley discovers more information, he finds the accusation comes from a past employee named Hammond (Marshall Bell), with whom Charley has had ongoing conflicts. When Charley visits Hammond’s workplace to confront him about accusing his friend, Hammond stands his ground. Desperate to find evidence against Hammond after this bitter encounter, Charley seeks the help of a lawyer, Kate (Barbara Crampton). Charley’s final stop in town is at Sharon’s (Addison Timlin), a woman who is not only his past girlfriend but also Hammond’s daughter. Despite their past conflicts, Charley offers Sharon a gift, which she declines, but he leaves anyway.
After completing these visits, Charley aims to move on. However, when he is forced to make a detour and stop for fuel, night falls, and while driving, Charley transforms into a werewolf monster and destroys his car. The next morning, Charley struggles to remember what happened, but images continually plague his mind. He decides to paint the hazy visions of what occurred the night before. Can Charley find a way to protect the ones he cares for as he struggles to control the beast he becomes and find a way to escape the town once and for all?
Blackout is a horror film that will delight werewolf fans. It was written and directed by Larry Fessenden, who is well-known in the horror film industry. Fessenden has directed and written other horror films, including Depraved (2019), and has acted in films such as You’re Next (2011) and Jakob’s Wife (2021). Fans of Fessenden’s work as a director will enjoy seeing familiar actors return from his past films and discovering various Easter eggs and references to his other works, creating a playful concept that this film exists in the same universe as one of his past horror titles.
The pacing at the start of this film felt relatively slow, but it effectively introduced various characters and subplots that revolve around Charley’s world. The story picks up when the film reveals that Charley is, in fact, the werewolf who becomes a killer whenever the moon appears, and the plot details become more apparent. The investment level also rises as more information is revealed to share why Charley wants to leave town despite being unable to escape due to unfinished business. His unresolved issues with people who have wronged him and those he wants to protect, help, and support help us understand that although Charley is a violent killer at night, during the day, he is a good person. This duality creates a fresh and unique concept for a horror film centred around a werewolf.
The sound effects were practical, and the werewolf’s creature design was brilliant. I also enjoyed Alex Hurt’s leading performance. However, I found the music score to be hit or miss, with some tracks feeling too simple, basic, or repetitive. While I enjoyed the film overall, the numerous subplots made it feel overly bloated at times. Additionally, these subplots dragged out the film’s third act.
Overall, this is a great werewolf movie with a new twist. Instead of focusing on a violent werewolf, we have a central character trying to do good and resolve various issues. However, the multiple subplots make the film feel slightly bloated, and the plot takes a while to get going. Annoyingly, while the film introduces many secrets, not everything is fully explained by the time the credits appear. Alex Hurt’s performance as the lead is also enjoyable, and fans of horror and Larry Fessenden will once again leave this film satisfied. The costumes, effects, and gore are also pleasing. Even more surprising are the tiny details and easter eggs, which suggest Blackout is, in fact, connected to another title. Perhaps we have just entered a new horror monsterverse!
Blackout (2023) is now available exclusively on digital via YouTube Australia!
6.9/10
18th September 2024
Written by Peter Walkden
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