User Reviews

The idea for Dark Intent was to compact a feature length horror flic into a 5 min. short and eliminate anything that dragged. Whether or not that was accomplished I suppose is up to the viewer but looking back I still feel that it's a tightly woven flic (albeit not that original) that contains many elements of movies that I love and hopefully other horror fans will pick up on.

Despite being fairly happy with the final result, there are things that if I could, I would change in a heartbeat. The kitchen scene is painful and there are a few shots I'd love another crack at. But what can ya do?

Anyway, I hope that anyone who sees it enjoys it and if not then feel free to tear it apart. Just give me something I can use.

And why an '8'? c'mon, it's my movie.

Raise The Flag

Chris (director)

Chris Alsop's Dark Intent is a love-letter to the bygone era of slasher films. Audience members expecting the expected, however, will be in for a surprise, because Alsop takes no prisoners, and makes no apologies while he's at it. While the plot does adhere to convention, there are shocking twists and the most sudden (and to the point!) ending that this viewer has seen in a long time.

This short film belies it's low budget with nice tracking shots, a great score, and an engaging (if brief) performance from lead Traynor. However, the film is so dark (naturally, it takes place mainly in a basement after the lights have gone out) that it is sometimes hard as viewers to get our bearings on where we are. Of course, as a horror movie, that is also one of the film's strengths as well.

The film's major weakness is similar to to the one great flaw of Tobe Hooper's otherwise excellent Toolbox Murders: Alsop introduces us to a threatening, yet very intriguing, villain... and ultimately fails to tell us anything about him. Watching Dark Intent, we are left wanting more. Which isn't such a bad thing, either, as horror movies go...

Sequel?