The Darkest Hour!

I recently had the pleasure of discovering and watching a very entertaining science fiction movie which I had no previous knowledge of. The Darkest Hour from 2011 is refreshingly set in Moscow allowing for some really spectacular images as five twenty-something Millennials try to survive and then confront a deadly alien invasion from the mysterious depths of space.

The story is a simple one to gather up. Two young Americans go to Moscow to sell their latest computer scheme only to find their idea has been stolen by their Swedish collaborator. They discover two girls (one from America and one from Australia) in a local bar and while the quartet are hitting it off the invasion suddenly occurs as beautiful lights descend from the darkened heavens. The lights prove to be the aliens and they disintegrate human beings upon contact. In terror the four eventually find safe haven in a basement along with their Swedish partner. Over a day later they decide to see what has happened since things have gotten quiet and find a Moscow almost completely deserted save for a few folks here and there trying as they can to hide from the mostly invisible aliens who destroy any human they chance upon. The team lose members here and there as they discover more and more about the fundamental electromagnetic nature of the invaders and even find other humans who are attempting not only to survive but to fight back. They discover a message that a nuclear submarine is awaiting survivors and make for it but not all of them survive the quest.

This is a cleverly done movie with a great pace and the thing I often like most about science fiction movies, heroes who live by their wits and smarts and not just on their bravado. Boldness is rewarded and fear is often punished in this tale, but there is redemption and sacrifice and even straight up heroism.

We eventually get a hint what the aliens want, and we even get a few glimpses of what they might look like, but mostly they are invisible threats which must be constantly scanned for and avoided. It's great stuff, not perfect, but pretty damned good.

Highly recommended.

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