The real darkness In this case, the name of the product can best describe the product itself. The brainchild of Hutson really turned out to be quite “real” and eerily “dark”, although both do not go well for him and in the end greatly disappoints with their flatness and formality.
In principle, nothing surprising, because the film, according to its creators, is nothing more than the fruit of improvisation, and this fruit for release was not planned and in general at the box office was almost accidental. Moreover, Hutson himself is not cunning about him and admits that his creativity came out as nonsense (which, however, did not prevent him a couple of years later from plotting a sequel under the guise of Darker Reality, which, according to the name, must be even more “dark”). So... how this miracle still managed to go out and find its viewer is unclear.
Briefly. “Dark reality” is a well-assembled, but frankly stupid hand-made thriller, whose own analogue can be created, probably, by anyone with a camera and free time. He does not have a plot as such and just plays the situation with the kidnapping. In fact, there is a semi-dark room, and there are several women sitting on a chain, who talk among themselves and (it seems) do not even try to free themselves.
Of course, there's a maniac kidnapper. He prefers to act evil only in the dark, so it is difficult to say what he is doing there. In the light, it performs two key functions. First, he periodically drags some prisoners out of the room, and in return brings new ones. That is, so that the viewer in front of the screen is not bored, he is apparently asked to evaluate the range of available actresses, coupled with different degrees of their nudity. Second, the compassionate kidnapper gives some of them food and bottles of good/bad water. Since the synopsis and conversations of the characters implied the presence of a certain “game” in the events, I understand that for the viewer this game should consist in understanding the logic of distributing food and bottles. Honestly, I tried to follow this logic, but I came to the conclusion that the distribution of food and bottles was chaotic. What was this “game” process then, and whether it was at all, is unknown.
Anyway, so... For "improvisation" this is probably not bad, but for a full-fledged film canvas is not suitable - the viewability is weak. Let the actresses keep in the frame quite naturally, you still do not feel any empathy towards them, and even the lyrical and sad ending available here does not work in this regard. To catch your eyes or thought for nothing - everything is abstract, sluggish, gray and faceless. Even if you try to see here a certain claim to the originality of the presentation (missing?) of the material, the creation of Hutson does not go beyond the usual amateur craftsmanship. Not so much bad as empty and unpretentious. Boring, to put it simply.
4 out of 10