"Whilst the film starts off by setting the scene nicely, its tendency to rely on standard horror movie tropes does grow a little thin by the end"

The film is by no means the be-all-and-end-all in the horror genre, but by that token it doesn't set out to be.

The story itself isn't bad, the plot focuses on a family moving to Columbia from the UK, so the mother can take up a new job at her Father's Paper Mill. It just so happens that the village in which they move to has suffered a tragedy that spurs on the spirits of the children killed during it, that in turn haunt the place unmercifully.

Whilst the film starts off by setting the scene nicely, its tendency to rely on standard horror movie tropes does grow a little thin by the end, so expect jump scares and mere glimpses of the antagonists until at least the halfway point.

In summary, the film is by no means bad, however, the problem is there isn't enough substance to make you care for the characters. Still, Out of the Dark is very watchable, and Julia Stiles and Stephen Rea's performances are notable highlights.