Schoolteachers Hoaggie (Erik Thomson) and Jill (Miriama McDowell) have taken their twin teenagers Maika (Billy Paratene) and Jordan (Frankie Paratene) for a family road-trip/camping excursion in the beautiful New Zealand countryside. However, things suddenly take a horrific turn when two strangers with guns approach. Mandrake (Daniel Gillies) introduces himself, telling the family he’s a magician who makes things disappear. His partner, Tubs (Matthias Luafutu) doesn’t say much, but is just as menacing, and does whatever Mandrake orders. Things escalate quickly, and the men take the couple at gunpoint for nightmare road-trip. Mandrake seems to have some history with Hoaggie, knowing things about his dark past that he shouldn’t, and he wants to make Hoaggie own up to and pay for his past sins. Now Hoaggie and Jill are fighting for their lives, desperately trying to escape from these psychopaths, but with each attempt to get away or alert someone to their situation, the situation just gets worse, and the body count increases.
Coming Home in the Dark takes the viewer on a brutal journey along with the characters. The film starts off with the lush, beautiful green of the countryside and a happy family enjoying their time together, however, as things take a darker turn, so does the film, with scenes both literally and figuratively getting darker as Hoagie and Jill are taken on their hellish phycological road-trip. Mandrake is a psychopath with no redeeming qualities. He seems completely indifferent after executing innocent people that get in his way. He has just one goal in mind, and that’s making Hoaggie own up to and pay for his past sins. Daniel Gillies plays this role to perfection, with Mandrake coming off a bit charming at times in his own sadistic way. Meanwhile, his partner Tubs seems to just be along for the ride, doing whatever he is told. Hoaggie finds himself conflicted—he is on trial for his past inaction, and not a situation where he was actively trying to cause harm. Could he have done more at the time, sure, but to him these events are in the the past. Now his only focus is trying to save his family, no matter what it means for his own fate.
Coming Home in the Dark is a tense, and often shocking and brutal edge of your seat thriller. Even as the family first arrives at their idyllic location, the eerie score foreshadows the tone for what is to come. Throughout the film there is this blend of haunting classical music and this eerie score. Once Mandrake interrupts the family’s picnice, things never let up, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, wondering what Mandrake wants, and what will be the next stop in this relentless nightmare of a road-trip.
The Blu-ray presentation is quite solid. As the film opens the viewer is presented with the green New Zealand countryside, which is captured in great detail in all of its colorful beauty. Even as things take a darker turn, the picture still remains clear and detailed, despite the nighttime setting. Blacks are captured nicely and never look washed out or grey. The audio track provides clear dialogue, showcases the film’s eerie and haunting soundtrack, and makes nice use of the stereo and surround tracks to add ambiance and provide a more-immersive viewing experience. Shots from Mandrake’s shotgun are loud and piercing, adding to the tension of the film. The Blu-ray comes packed in a standard HD keepcase without a slipcover or a digital copy. The disc also includes a 12-minute behind-the-scenes featurette and the film’s trailer.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:32:49)
- 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
- Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 2.0 PCM Lossless
- Subtitles: English SDH
Extras:
- Behind the Scenes (12:54)
The cast and filmmakers discuss the inspiration for the story, adapting the original short story, casting and working with the actors, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/writer James Ashcroft, writer Eli Kent, producers Desray Armstrong, Mike Minogue & Catherine Fitzgerald, and stars Daniel Gillies (“Mandrake”), Matthias Luafutu (“Tubs”), Miriama McDowell (“Jill”) & Erik Thomson (“Hoaggie”). - Trailer (2:07)
Final Thoughts:
Coming Home in the Dark is a haunting, edge-of-your-seat thriller that keeps the viewer engaged from start to finish. Daniel Gillies gives a creepy and captivating performance as villain Mandrake, who works off of his own warped sense of justice, and is indifferent to the fact that he is killing lots of innocent people along the way. Writer/director James Ashcroft is more well known for his appearances in front of the camera, with this film being his first time directing a feature. I look forward to seeing more of his work behind the camera in the future. The Blu-ray release looks and sounds great, but only includes a single short bonus featurette. However, the film itself is definitely worth a look for anyone looking for an entertaining, though at times disturbing, thriller.
