‘In Tenebras: Into the Darkness’ Review

Stars: Michael Paré, Costas Mandylor, Anthony Loddo, Johan Wickholm, Rebecca Davis, Tayah Kansik | Written and Directed by Martin Nuza

In Tenebras: Into the Darkness begins with text telling us that at the end of World War II, a German U-boat was seized off the coast of Gibraltar. Its contents were hidden somewhere in the miles of tunnels under the fortress. We see part of that, soldiers moving a crate through underground tunnels and shooting an unarmed German POW as he begs for his life. More text tells us that what we are about to see is based on a true story.

In the present day, Captain Shaw (Michael Paré; The Land That Time Forgot, Bedtime Stories: Tales of Love and Hate) and Major Cummings (Costas Mandylor; WWII: Operation Phoenix, Saw X) direct a rescue operation in Gibraltar harbour, saving several hostages from bad guys who we’re eventually told were terrorists planning a bombing.

Elsewhere Hank (Anthony Loddo) has reconnected with his half-brother Josh (Johan Wickholm). It seems their grandfather was stationed in Gibraltar during the war and made a map showing the location of an incredible treasure of some sort. And, along with their sister Chelsie (Rebecca Davis; Tragic Waste) they’re going to go retrieve it. But not until after we get a long monologue about what they think is down there and lots of touristy shots of the view from the Rock of Gibraltar itself.

Back at headquarters, which sports a huge US flag despite the fact Gibraltar is a British territory guarded by British Force Gibraltar, they’ve noticed someone has gotten into the tunnels. Maybe they should have sealed the entrance or posted guards if they were that worried. Major Cummings tells Captain Shaw to get the siblings out of the tunnel, but that’s easier said than done.

Writer/director /producer/cinematographer Martin Nuza who has a background in commercials and promotional films seems totally out of his element here. With endless drawn-out talky scenes including lots of “funny” bickering between the three leads the first half hour was a chore to sit through. Even the opening rescue mission was dull and lifeless.

At around the forty-five-minute mark In Tenebras: Into the Darkness remembers that it’s supposed to be a horror film and a zombie shows up. That’s also about when Paré and his team arrive on the scene to give the film what little action it has. But that’s not until we sit through more boring talk about what’s down there for them to face.

In Tenebras: Into the Darkness ends up being 90% wandering around in the dark before we get a handful of zombies some of whom know kung fu, the brief presence of an alien creature and a terribly rendered CGI spacecraft. The plot is predictable, right down to the conspiracy theory tie-in that gets dragged out in the last act.

The acting is pretty awful, Paré seems to be playing a parody of a hardass soldier, barking orders and threatening to cut people’s hearts out for poor performance. Neither of the two male leads have previous credits and it shows. The one who dies isn’t even convincing as a zombie. Costas Mandylor is at least convincing in the few scenes he has, as is Tayah Kansik (Elite Force: B.R.I., Scorpion Girl: The Awakening) as one of the soldiers.

The sad thing is, In Tenebras: Into the Darkness had great potential zombies, and an alien monster in a maze of dark, claustrophobic tunnels should have been a natural. Instead, Martin Nuza has his cast wander around doing nothing for most of the film and then throws in some half-assed action scenes featuring characters we don’t know or care about at the viewer and expect us to care. The closest it gets to scary is a recreation of the final scene of REC and the revelation that there are plans for a sequel. I had high hopes for this one, but it’s a misfire from start to finish, it even has issues with the sound as the icing on the cake.

* 1/5

In Tenebras: Into the Darkness is available in the UK now, from Miracle Media.
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Review originally posted on Voices From the Balcony