SUPER DARK TIMES. Behind the seemingly innocent suspenseful story lurks a real drama

The 1980s became a fixture in cinema, music, and almost every other aspect of contemporary pop culture. However, in Super Dark Times, Kevin Phillips invites us to a different retrospection—a decade later—which, though archaic, devoid of the internet and smartphones, is free from inherent kitsch.

The main characters ride bikes, discuss sex, superheroes, Highlander, and True Lies. They don’t belong to the clique of popular athletes, occasionally run into local bullies who delight in primitive taunts, and harbor crushes on unattainable beauties. In the opening scenes, they seem painfully reminiscent of stereotypical figures churned out by waves of nostalgia. Yet it quickly becomes clear that no strange girl subjected to government experiments awaits them in the nearby woods, nor does a bloodthirsty clown lurk in the sewers. Behind the seemingly innocent, suspenseful story hides a real drama in the spirit of a coming-of-age novel, which after about twenty-five minutes abandons its idyllic tone in favor of realistic brutality.

Screenwriters Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski have masterfully captured the fleeting, brief moment of transition from innocent adolescence to the adulthood that demands responsibility for one’s actions. Their characters are similar enough to form a believable group bound by shared interests or values, yet distinct enough not to feel like cookie-cutter creations. The relationships between the teenagers are the strongest element of Super Dark Times, but even before the halfway mark, the story begins to unravel, devolving into an implausible madness intertwined with bloody visions. The well-drawn prelude to the drama in the second act shows signs of cheap horror, fully becoming one by the third act. On one hand, it’s hard not to appreciate the skilled juggling of conventions; on the other, the ending feels forced, designed solely to shock the viewer. Interesting in itself, but as a conclusion to the preceding events, it is disappointing.

The young actors deliver an extraordinary level of authenticity, making the cast of 13 Reasons Why seem closer to the “talent” seen in daytime soap operas. Owen Campbell in the lead role excellently portrays a descent into madness—sometimes through dialogue, at other times with barely noticeable gestures—and it is primarily thanks to him that even the less-than-perfect ending doesn’t ruin the overall impression of Super Dark Times. Among the adults, Amy Hargreaves stands out, essentially reprising her role as the caring mother from the aforementioned 13 Reasons Why. Kevin Phillips and the screenwriters provided the cast with excellent characters to portray, intriguing relationships to explore, and an oppressive world in which they live and die. From an observer’s perspective—a visitor at a zoo—it all seems fascinating. But when attempting to delve into the motivations of the animals, it turns out to be an uninteresting combination of randomness and instinct.

The filmmakers emphasize that the story takes place just before the infamous Columbine High School massacre, immortalized in cinema by Gus Van Sant as Elephant. While this has little direct relevance to the plot, it helps to understand the title Super Dark Times and the oppressive mood. However, I can’t help but feel that if the late 1990s were “super dark times,” the present era has brought “hyper darker times,” and there’s no need to look to the past to shake the audience.