DVD Recommendation: "Dark Skies" Depicts a Calculated Alien Invasion

Dark Skies came and went quickly in movie theaters this past winter and, as a result, I was not sure I even wanted to see the film, which is written and directed by Scott Stewart. I had a chance to catch a screening at a second run theater and was happy I did, since Dark Skies far exceeded my tepid expectations. The film centers around the Barretts, a family of four who are slowly being infiltrated by aliens. At first, Daniel (Josh Hamilton) and Lacy (Keri Russell) suspect an intruder, or perhaps one of their young children, Jesse (Dakota Goyo) or Sam (Kadan Rockett) are to blame, but as time goes by they understand that something malevolent is occurring and seems to be impacting Sam, who speaks of a visitor in his room at night.

After a few strange events, including finding an open entry door in the middle of the night and missing photographs, Lacy and Daniel consult the police, then have an alarm system installed and eventually conduct their own research which suggests that aliens may be blame for their problems. Of course, neither one of them really wants to believe something so fantastic, but they reach out to a local extraterrestrial specialist, Edwin Pollard (J.K. Simmons), for help. Pollard is able to provide crucial, if unsettling, information to the stressed couple. To their credit, Lacy and Daniel entertain the idea of moving, but financial problems make that difficult and what is to prevent the alleged aliens from following them to their next home? The Barretts realize that the problem needs to be addressed directly, so they formulate a plan that they hope will save their family.

In my experience, contemporary horror/sci-fi films struggle with delivering any real surprises or genuine scares, but Dark Skies does both. Indeed, director Scott Stewart builds a suspenseful, edge of your seat atmosphere throughout most of the film. Even when the antagonists are identified, the film steams forward and does not miss a beat. In addition, the performances are better than I expected and even the child actors deliver fine and believable work. The special effects are nothing extraordinary, but that is appropriate in this character driven and suspenseful gem that deserves to find an audience now that it is available on DVD.