Although the film explores a familiar theme—sinister forces tormenting a child in distress—Swedish director David F. Sandberg brings something fresh and unsettling to his horror/psychological offering, **Lights Out**. Making his feature film debut, Sandberg delivers an adequate amount of tension and trickery for a movie that deals with darkness. **Lights Out** is a reasonable chiller demonstrating a decent level of depth without relying on tired clichés. The creatures causing the nighttime disturbances in **Lights Out** aren’t as easily dismissed as those found in many over-the-top, generic horror films. The film's construction feels atmospheric and sparse at times, but the manufactured thrills add the necessary sense of alarm to a psychological thriller featuring solid performances, particularly from Maria Bello as the troubled woman at the center of the CGI creepiness. Sandberg’s adventurous direction and screenwriter Eric Heisserer’s captivating script work well because **Lights Out** doesn't overextend itself beyond its lean and claustrophobic boundaries. The storytelling is tight, and the scare tactics create effective jolts without becoming monotonous. There are predictable jump scares, and the movie never fully breaks free from the conventional suspenseful landscape common to many frightening tales. Nevertheless, **Lights Out** manages to cast a unique light on this effectively drawn, hair-raising spectacle. The premise introduces the familiar idea of childhood fear and despair, focusing on young insomniac Rebecca (Teresa Palmer), who has long since left the unsettling home where a malevolent spirit relentlessly tormented her. Now, she’s worried that this haunting tradition is about to terrify her 10-year-old stepbrother Martin (Gabriel Bateman). In fact, Martin wants to leave his unstable household and move in with Rebecca for safety. After all, who could blame the poor kid for wanting to escape such a place? Enter Sophie (Bello), a fragile mother to both Rebecca and Martin. She has experienced disappointments, heartaches, and breakdowns in the past and present. It’s revealed that she spent time in a mental institution years ago, which explains her current difficulties with relationships and her strained connection with her children. More importantly, Sophie is troubled by encounters with deceased figures who appear within her expansive home. But nothing is more unsettling than her interactions with Diana (Alicia Vela-Bailey), her troubled friend and former asylum roommate. What’s so disturbing about Diana's presence is how clingy and protective she is of Sophie. The key to Diana’s frightening existence lies in the absence of light, which allows this deranged female entity to roam freely while endangering Sophie. **Lights Out** (originally Sandberg’s short film competition entry) acts as a symbolic mirror reflecting themes of mental illness and self-destruction concerning a fragile psyche. The film is most convincing when Bello's Sophie is constantly haunted by the ties that bind her. Sandberg portrays a woman on the verge of insanity, consumed by inner conflict and self-doubt to the point where she has internalized her own pain—including deceased husbands and the realization that her children are weary of her erratic behavior. Bello conveys her character’s brokenness and confusion with conviction. The sibling relationship between Palmer’s Rebecca and Bateman’s Martin is both reassuring and intriguing as they share frightening delusions. Vela-Bailey's Diana is deliciously shadowy, creating a sense of static gloom. The special effects are imaginative and challenging, and cinematographer Marc Spicer’s experimental lighting gives **Lights Out** its gripping atmosphere. Overall, Sandberg’s unsettling film certainly encourages even the most skeptical audience to reach for a light switch. **Lights Out** (2016) Rat-Pac Tune Entertainment 1 hr, 21 mins. Starring: Maria Bello, Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Billy Burke, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Alexander DiPersia Directed by: David F. Sandberg MPAA Rating: PG-13 Genre: Horror/Psychological Thriller/Supernatural Critic’s rating: *** stars (out of 4 stars) (c) **Frank Ochieng** (2016)

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