The cabin in the woods sub genre has changed greatly over the years. Dark Windows takes many familiar tropes but also tackles themes not often seen in these types of films. After a traumatic incident, a group of friends travel to an isolated summerhouse to find peace. They are soon forced to confront a dark secret as a masked man terrorizes them.
All the ingredients for a run if the mill slasher are here. Mysterious sounds, shadowy figures, and even a car that does not start at the worst possible time are all a part of Dark Windows. The early moments make it clear it is going to be a completely different type of story, however.
Grief is an integral part of Dark Windows. Each of the friends is handling the incident in their own way and it affects almost every decision they make. It is interesting to see this much emotion since similar movies often use screaming and running to convey what characters are feeling.
The mix of popular horror conventions and world building is a neat idea that does not always come together smoothly. This is seen most in the erratic relationship between the friends. Their attitudes towards each other shift constantly. At first, it seems like it may be a product of their grief. But when themes like alcoholism are introduced – and just as quickly discarded – it becomes clear Dark Windows is trying to tell a deeper story.
This dichotomy is most evident in the brutal ending. Dark Windows goes all in on torture horror, including a creative kill involving a bottle of vodka. Regrettably, the identity of the tormentor falls flat , more so when the masked aggressor explains how they have learned everything. Just as things are picking up, Dark Windows abruptly ends. It is not the worst idea, but it does not quite stick the landing making for an anticlimactic close.
Dark Windows releases in theaters and on demand August 18
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