As a history and anthropology buff, I was very excited about reviewing the Bleecker Street film, Out of Darkness. I was not disappointed.
Out of Darkness
Out of Darkness is a Stone Age horror film. Well, at least, that’s what they are calling it. The film, written by Ruth Greenberg, was originally titled The Origin, and after winning many awards, Bleecker Street will be releasing the film to theaters on February 9, 2024.
Out of Darkness and the original title were directed by Andrew Cumming; the film stars Safia Oakley-Green, Chuku Modo, Kit Young, Iola Evans, Luna Mwezi, and Arno Luening. The action takes place during the Paleolithic period, 45,000 years ago. It is a story of survival, and fear of the unknown. It begins with a small group of people crossing the tundra wastelands towards the mountains where they hope to find caves for shelter. Welcome to the Stone Age, my friends, where humans not only hunted for their food…but they were also the prey.
Early humans, who shared this planet with now-extinct hominin relatives, were nomadic people that followed animal herds for food, and this was no easy task as the Earth was still largely covered in ice. Life was especially hard for our female ancestors, especially those with children
Our group includes the leader Adem (Chuku Modu), his pregnant mate, Ave (Iola Evans), their son, Heron (Luna Mwezi), Adem’s brother, Geirr (Kit Young), a wise man (Arno Luning) and a stray teen, Beyah (Safia Oakley-Green). They haven’t eaten in days, and their attempts at finding food are put on hold when they are attacked by a mysterious creature.
Conclusion
Out of Darkness, which was filmed around Gairloch, Scotland, is a British horror thriller that was nominated for five awards at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards. Cumming is calling this a Paleolithic horror film, and there is certainly enough scares to keep you on the edge, but to me…this film is a study of mankind.
“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That has become my mantra ever since I became interested in anthropology. I don’t want to give anything away about the surprise ending, but you will understand once you see the film, which I highly recommend. I know there have been some critics who were not excited about the film, but they didn’t understand the message. I am hoping that you do.
