It Comes at Night

It Comes at Night is a 2017 American psychological horror film directed by Trey Edward Shults. It is an eerie, suspense-packed tale that explores the unknown dangers lurking beyond the doorstep. The movie features performances by Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, and Carmen Ejogo, accompanied by standout supporting roles from Riley Keough and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Joel Edgerton inhabits the role of Paul, a former history teacher who has retreated to the relative safety of an isolated house in the woods after society's collapse. He is a stern defender of his homestead and family. His family includes his wife, Sarah, played with quiet resilience by Carmen Ejogo, and their teenage son, Travis, performed by Kelvin Harrison Jr., portrayal of a young man dealing with the harsh realities of his world is heart-wrenching.

The beauty of this film lies in its subtlety and the director’s decision to approach the narrative with a slow-burning dread rather than resorting to scare tactics. Rather than flooding the story with bloodshed, Shults capitalizes on the unease created by uncertainty. The movie is set against the backdrop of an unnamed pandemic, which only amplifies the dread and unease.

Another family enters this fragile scenario, initially as uninvited guests. Will and Kim, roles embraced by Christopher Abbott and Riley Keough, arrive with their little child. They too are survivors seeking asylum in this relative haven in the woods. Will and Paul seal an agreement; everyone follows Paul's rules to ensure shared protection, though interspersed with problems of trust and betrayal which continue to test their bond.

The cinematography is brilliant and the suspense posed in the script is perfectly mirrored in the dense, dark woods that surround their safe haven. It's clear the house is not just an alter against disease but also the wilderness and other potential threats, human or otherwise. The flicker of a gas lantern in the pitch darkness, the dramatic use of shadow and light, and focus on the characters’ anxious faces amplify the tense atmosphere and the paranoia that engulfs their lives. The viewers are left wondering about what 'comes at night', is it a monstrous being or simply the undulating waves of fear and distrust among even loving humans when faced with extreme survival conditions?

The film scores high in its sound design too. It uses silence and understated score to underscore the stretch of horror, and when the music does come in, it's a pulse-pounding, atmospheric sound that floods the scenes with tension.

Teenager Travis draws specific attention. He experiences the terror in dreams and his sleepwalking tendencies blur the lines between nightmare and reality. The way Harrison Jr. handles this complex character is commendable as he becomes the silent, observing eye through which the audience witnesses the growing fear in the narrative.

What stands out in It Comes at Night is that it does not lay everything bare to the audience. The director plays cleverly with ambiguity and multiple threads of clues. The contagious disease, the inherent distrust among the characters, the haunting dreams of Travis; together, they keep the audience on the edge of their seats without fully revealing what they should be afraid of. The result is a potent mix of psychological horror, intense survival thriller, and a poignant family drama that hits the nerves hard.

In conclusion, It Comes at Night is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling and attention to detail, all while hinting at deeper metaphoric commentary on human nature, survival, and the essence of fear. It is a film that is more of a whispered horror than a scream in the dark, subtly creeping up on its audience till an unforgettable climax. It is not just another horror flick, but a deeply emotional and gripping exploration of the fears that can tear us apart and yet, strengthen the bonds of family; a beacon for psychological horror lovers and a proof that horror is not just about ghosts and ghouls but potentially about the darkness within each of us.