Dark Sense (2019)
4/10
Use the Force Luke!
7 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Any story that takes a protagonist from boyhood to godhood in an hour and a half is hamstrung by its arc. It took Luke Skywalker three movies, plus the awful Last Jedi and even he didn't really get there.

The idea is basically very good. Could be argued it tapped into the ancient Scottish, or at least Highlander idea of Second Sight. It's an interesting enough study. The author should have kept it at that level. So many shows that explore superpowers end up with the characters virtually omnipotent--then there is nowhere to go. Keeping it at a level of clairvoyance allows scope for unforced danger. Tension could have been created by virtue of the claim that Second Sight was actively induced as well as passively received. The protagonist actively developing his second sight could have provided a driver for the story. Then the story would mimic like--we get good at what we do, learning a skill, training for a marathon, learning to draw etc., instead of the 'gifted' from birth approach--like Rey in Star Wars--and, of course, only our protagonist can be gifted in this way.

In the story, the 'danger' is created through a 'time loop'. The protagonist sees a vague glimpse of his future and in trying to avert it, he brings it on. It's a fairly tired motif. This Terminator time twist is mixed with the element of the 'hunt' as he stalks the wolf (Peter and the Wolf forms a large part of the story).

While Simon, then, has almost omniscience, he can't see the wolf clearly--cause he's scared. There has to be limitations to omniscience but it's built in a false way. In this case, the powers come from connection and are limited by fear. He is connected to his minder and M15 agent but scared of the wolf/villain/psychopath--so he can't 'see' him. Keeping the powers limited in and of themselves would have solved the problem. (Of course, it could be argued this could have made it too much like the Eyes of Laura Mars.)

The villain's motives seem unclear. His dad is a priest who disowns him--fair enough--but why does he target psychics? Surely, targeting religious figures would have made more sense? Perhaps I need to read the book.

The film itself is well shot and the acting seems fine, although the villain is too campy.
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