"Darkness Falls," set in a Massachusetts-inspired town, centers on Kyle, who witnesses the tooth fairy specter as a child and is sent to an orphanage after his mother's unexplained death. Twelve years later, Kyle (played by Chaney Kley) returns to confront the spirit’s renewed activity and finds himself wrongly imprisoned. Emma Caulfield portrays the girl he left behind, while Lee Cormie plays her younger brother, both of whom have also encountered the malevolent ghost and are receiving medical care as a result. This 2003 supernatural film initially shows considerable promise but ultimately doesn't live up to its potential. The movie benefits from a well-executed ghostly appearance and an unsettling atmosphere reminiscent of "The Ring." Kley delivers a strong, relatable performance—a sadly poignant detail given his passing four years later due to a sleep disorder. Emily Browning is memorable as the teenage girlfriend in the opening scenes; however, Caulfield’s portrayal of the character as an adult feels less convincing, though she's adequate overall. It’s also striking that there's essentially only one significant female character throughout the entire film, which seems unusual for a horror movie. The narrative falters significantly around its midpoint when Kyle arrives at the hospital just as the boy is about to undergo a highly improbable experimental treatment; from this point onward, the story never truly recovers and becomes disjointed. Another drawback is that much of the action occurs indoors. While the limited outdoor scenes are effective in creating atmosphere, the majority of the film unfolds within locations like hospitals, homes, a police station, and a lighthouse. The musical score is enjoyable, but the end credits extend for an unusually long ten minutes—a curious length for a horror movie with a total runtime of 86 minutes, meaning the actual story only lasts about 76 minutes. Despite its flaws, "Darkness Falls" may still be worthwhile for those who appreciate its strengths; however, don't anticipate anything exceptional. It’s passable at best, undermined by noticeably amateurish aspects—particularly some obvious issues that should have been addressed in the script. Filming took place across Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales, Australia, with introductory scenes shot in Maine. GRADE: C-

Source on TMDB