Last Updated on September 6, 2024 by
Don’t Turn Out the Lights is a 2023 horror Movie Directed by Andy Fickman. The film stars Jarrett Austin Brown, John Bucy, and Jasper Cole, with a runtime of 1h 49m, and will be released on September 06, 2024.
The movie opens with Olivia (Crystal Lake Evans) – a cheerful girl who simply wants to have fun and celebrate her birthday with her best friends. She has prepared a stunning twist for him—a road trip to the Blue Light music festival. To get there, Olivia’s boyfriend, Michael (Jarrett Austin Brown), borrows an old RV from his uncle. Joining them are their friends and Michael also invites his roommate, Jason played by John Bucy whom the group has never met before. It was fascinating seeing the two main characters, Michael and Jason, interact. Jason, who is our main character from the show is an ex-Marine, he is super quiet, super strong, and looks intense in a way that makes everyone a little wary of him at first. He does not have many words to say and usually scowls and for this people joke around with him calling him a dangerous type of man who could turn at any moment.
However, as the events unfold in the movie, Jason proves to be an asset when everything becomes terrifying. There is also a sweet and pretty girl named Carrie (Bella DeLong), and she can be secretive about something in her background like Michael and Jason. Then there is Gaby a.k. Ana Zambrana, the star athlete, Sarah (Amber Janea), the rich girl who is a bit of a bully and Chris a.k.a Dayl Tofa, the laid-back stoner who is naturally funny. The adventure turns into a nightmare without taking much time. The group wakes up in their RV with no idea of how they got there or how they can get out as a hostile and unexplained force is pursuing them. They constantly hear peculiar sounds—the booming noises outside the RV, whispers in the forest, voices in the distance, and the haunting melodies sung by children. These sounds contribute to creating tension and making everyone feel nervous, including the characters on the screen.
Last but not least, it was interesting to see people get scared with the help of good sound effects during the movie. It is different from many monster appearances or direct displays of violence as it gives the feeling of the monsters and unpleasant circumstances without actually presenting a clear and detailed picture of what is happening. You are left wondering what the risk is, and this is often worse than witnessing it. This makes the movie more about how the characters deal with the fear, as opposed to the basics of the fear itself. The cast delivers good performances and effectively conveys the fear and panic as the situation deteriorates. Most of the cast members are unknown which gives them more credibility since they make you believe in their terror.
The friendships also feel authentic – both where the characters are amicable with one another as well as when there’s conflict between them. Finally, during the escalation of actions, the women from the cast – Carries, Gaby, and Sarah – are particularly outstanding in their portrayals, bearing the main emotions in the last sequences of the movie. It also adapts a lot of elements from many other side horror films. There are some classic horror clichés, an ill-fated road trip, people they meet who tell them they should turn back, foggy forests, and a sense of the paranormal. One is left wondering exactly what is giving them the scare that we are made to endure, hence the suspense.
The movie’s tagline reads ‘based on a true story,’ which is only partly true, as one could easily say at most it is loosely inspired by true events. It is closer to the biographical truth as the story is inspired by the director’s emotions concerning something mysterious that occurred in high school. He does not attempt to define what it was but rather the fact that he felt that it was eerie to undergo the unknown. Some viewers might be annoyed by such an absence of definite answers, but it is quite another drama of the film – it is not a mystery to be solved, but the state in which the absence of a mystery drives everyone out of their mind. Nevertheless, the pace of the film is somewhat sluggish in some parts. One of its drawbacks that might be considered too long is that it takes nearly an hour for the real horror to begin. There is nothing wrong with some scenes being filled with talking and character development because it is good for the plot but there are certain viewers who only want to see more action. But the last scenes are tense and creepy – so the movie does save face in the end. If you like horror films that want to make you think and that are made on a very small budget, this film does that almost perfectly. It is not about telling the audience that you should be afraid of blood or monsters, but one should be afraid of that which one does not know.
Don’t Turn Out the Lights 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
Don’t Turn Out the Lights is not rated because it has not undergone the official rating process by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA).
Violence & Gore: No graphic gore, but intense psychological horror. Characters are trapped in an RV and experience frightening events like loud bangs, whispers, and eerie voices. There’s tension, fear, and panic as characters feel hunted by an unseen force.
Profanity: Mild to moderate language, typical of a group of young adults under stress. Some swearing in moments of fear or frustration.
Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking: One character, Chris, is depicted as a stereotypical stoner, implying drug use. Potential references to alcohol or recreational drugs during the road trip.
Sex & Nudity: No explicit scenes, but some mild flirtation or implied relationships (boyfriend/girlfriend dynamic).
The movie contains suspense and psychological elements that may be too intense for younger viewers, though it avoids graphic violence and explicit content. Suitable for teens who can handle suspense and moderate language.
