Written in 1974, prolific young-adult novelist Lois Duncan’s “Down a Dark Hall” intriguingly anticipated some of the tropes of latterday Ya fantasy-fiction blockbusters. Thus “Buried” director Rodrigo Cortés’ belated screen adaptation comes off — at least in narrative terms — as something a halfway point between “Harry Potter” and “Suspiria,” as “gifted” girls at a curious, sinister private school become increasingly susceptible to supernatural forces.
Lionsgate Premiere’s Stateside launch of this Spanish-u.S. coproduction (which has already opened in several other territories) doesn’t suggest great faith, as it’s only providing very limited theatrical exposure alongside a VOD release. Still, this is a decent modern Gothic thriller handled with sufficient style and a straight face by genre ace Cortés. His efforts, and strong performances by the young female leads, make for a movie that’s fairly strong meat by juvenile fantasy standards, if probably a tad wimpy for horror-fan tastes.
Lionsgate Premiere’s Stateside launch of this Spanish-u.S. coproduction (which has already opened in several other territories) doesn’t suggest great faith, as it’s only providing very limited theatrical exposure alongside a VOD release. Still, this is a decent modern Gothic thriller handled with sufficient style and a straight face by genre ace Cortés. His efforts, and strong performances by the young female leads, make for a movie that’s fairly strong meat by juvenile fantasy standards, if probably a tad wimpy for horror-fan tastes.
- 8/17/2018
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
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