Dark My Light – Movie Review (2/5)

DARK MY LIGHT is a trippy sci-fi thriller that won’t make much sense at first. However, this is intentional as a lot is kept from the viewer until later. A great concept, but the execution could’ve been better. Read our full Dark My Light movie review here!

DARK MY LIGHT is a new low-budget genre movie that combines a crime thriller about a serial killer with a trippy sci-fi element. Admittedly, I loved pretty much everything about the core concept of this movie.

That’s why it’s a shame that the execution and story are lacking. With a runtime of just around 90 minutes, it feels too long. The acting works well for me, but even this part won’t make much sense until later in the movie.

Continue reading our Dark My Light movie review below. Find it on VOD from May 6, 2025.

Featuring a serial killer and mind games

The plot of Dark My Light features a crime story as the lead character is hunting a serial killer. We know this early on as a victim appears who seems to match two previous cases. With three kills, we have an active serial killer.

Any story with a crime plot and a serial killer has potential, but how you run with the story will determine whether it works in the movie. For Dark My Light, it both works really well and doesn’t work too well.

The problem is the storytelling, which is jumbled and confusing for a reason. However, you need to be patient. At first, a lot of puzzle pieces are thrown at you. Pieces that seemingly do not belong, and you have no idea what it’s supposed to end up looking like.

That’s Dark My Light. Not until very late in the movie will you know what it’s truly about. Once we get that far, you’ll probably have forgotten what many of the puzzle pieces revealed, which makes for an overall unsatisfying story. Not entirely, but largely.

A real shame, as the core concept (which I can’t reveal here without giving major spoilers) is truly fascinating. Not entirely new or innovative in itself, but I still liked the vibe of it.

What’s in a title?

I think most will agree that Dark My Light is a strange title. It was certainly one that I kept forgetting because it was so cryptic and not in any way that I could relate to the movie.

Turns out, the movie also has the alternative title of “The Lighthouse”, a title that makes sense. However, with the very successful 2019 movie from Robert Eggers, I wouldn’t focus on that title either.

But yes, there is a lighthouse in Dark My Light, and it plays a key role.

At first, we just keep seeing it in the background as much takes place on a beach. Later, it turns out that the lighthouse plays a huge role in the movie.

Watch Dark My Light on digital

The writer and director of Dark My Light is Neal Dhand, and, as stated multiple times already, I really like the concept of this plot. I just wish it had been told in a different way. One that allowed the core plot to shine through earlier.

With Albert Jones (The Night Agent, Mindhunter) as the main character, we’re in good hands. Sure, it’s low-budget, so the make-up used for his scars and changes in appearances aren’t breathtaking, but they do work as intended.

In the two other key roles, we see Keesha Sharp (Titanic 666) as his wife, and Tom Lipinski (Mercy, Snowpiercer) as his new partner. All three make for a strong trio carrying the movie, but always with Albert Jones as the definitive lead. The actors deserved a better overall result.

I hate to be so negative, as this movie definitely touched a nerve with its core story. Still, the execution means I can’t get higher than 2 out of 5. Even though the story deserves more.

Dark My Light is out on VOD on May 6, 2025.

Details

Director: Neal Dhand
Writer: Neal Dhand
Cast: Albert Jones, Keesha Sharp, Tom Lipinski, Steven Sean Garland