The Dark Red is Highly Entertaining [DVD Review]

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Dan Bush’s The Dark Red doesn’t have a flashy, big name cast. But that doesn’t stop it from being a delightful and smartly-realized thriller. The flick succeeds as well as it does, in no small part, due to  fantastic performances from its core cast. April Billingsley (The Walking Dead) absolutely slays as lead character Sybil. Billingsley serves up a layered and dynamic performance that endears the audience to her almost instantly. She brings Sybil to life with a sense of fragility that suggests from the get go that she is damaged and broken by the series of profound tragedies she has endured.   Sybil believes she possesses a rare blood type that grants her certain superhuman capabilities. She in convinced she’s being hunted by a cult that wants what she possesses and believes they will pursue it at any cost. Her therapist, however, thinks that Sybil is delusional and suffering from an adverse reaction to trauma, as well as a variety of mental health issues.  Also See: Five PG Horror Films That Should Have Been Rated R You’ll have to watch the film to find out if Sybil’s concerns are real or a figment of her imagination. And watch it, you should. I had so much fun with this flick. The pacing in the first two acts is a bit up and down. But Sybil’s relationship with Dr. Deluce (Kelsey Scott of Fear The Walking Dead) is authentic and watching the two of them interact carried me through the slightly less eventful first hour.  Even if you do have a bit of trouble sitting through some of the earlier scenes in the flick, your patience will be rewarded with an epic third act that had my adrenaline pumping. Moreover, when I said less than eventful previously, I didn’t mean that entirely as a criticism. Yes, the pacing is a little problematic for a spell but the therapist/client relationship is authentic and it gives us reason to buy into what Sybil is going through. It puts us in her frame of mind and sets up what’s to come in the finale.  The screenplay (which was cowritten by director Dan Bush and Conal Byrne who plays Sybil’s boyfriend) makes a valiant attempt at keeping the viewer going back-and-forth about whether or not Sybil’s condition is real or a manifestation of mental illness. Logic dictates that we wouldn’t be watching a horror movie about a character’s whose condition is entirely imagined. But Bush and Byrne provide us with reason to consider both possibilities.   Also See: Five Horror Series Cancelled Too Soon (and Five That Need to End) With that said, once we learn the truth about Sybil, things really get exciting. The Dark Red denouement reminded me why I admire Dan Bush as a filmmaker. As he proved with 2007’s The Signal, he is able to deliver pulse-pounding suspense along with complex and dynamic characters. The end result is a highly entertaining film with a satisfying conclusion.   My chief complaint with the The Dark Red’s home video release is the lack of special features. I wanted to dive into the commentary track and hear everything Dan Bush was thinking and I wanted to listen to April Billingsley talk about her tour de force performance in a featurette focusing on her character. But unfortunately, the DVD is about as bare bones as they come. But lack of bonus content aside, I absolutely recommend checking this one out at your earliest convenience.  WICKED RATING: 7.5/10  Director(s): Dan BushWriter(s): Dan Bush and Conal ByrneStars: April Billingsley, Kelsey Scott, and Conal ByrneRelease: April 28, 2020 (Home Video)Studio/ Production Co: Dark Sky Films Language: English Length: 101-Minutes Follow us on social media! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.

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