Super dark times (2017) ⚔️

 

Adolescence, Literally Ruined

     Set in the 90s suburbs, Super Dark Times centers on a group of high school students (Zach, Josh, Daryl, and Charlie) who, at first glance, seem like normal teenagers. They spend their after-school hours talking about superheroes, playfully insulting each other, and rating girls. However, one fateful afternoon, their lives irreversibly change when they impulsively grab Josh's brother's katana and start cutting objects with it in an isolated park.

(From left to right) Josh, Zach, Daryl and Charlie

     The film's nineties cinematic style and suspenseful atmosphere immediately transports us into an environment where we brace ourselves for the worst—and our fears are soon realized. After a heated argument escalates into a physical fight between Josh and Daryl, Daryl accidentally suffers a fatal wound to the neck from the katana. In a moment of panic and guilt, the boys agree to hide the body and the murder weapon. Josh, Charlie, and Zach decide to remain silent, but Zach finds it impossible to suppress the truth so easily.

The boys playing with the katana 

     In the aftermath of that devastating event, the boys find themselves engulfed in a spiral of trauma. Zach remains trapped by an unshakeable sense of guilt, relentlessly torturing himself and pushing his existence to its limits. Conversely, Josh, having tasted the power of ending a life, begins to develop a disquieting fascination with it. As time progresses, the town is rocked by news of another student's death, John. Although whispers of suicide spread, Zach, however, discerns distinct clues that implicate a known suspect.

 

Josh and his killer look

     Desperation becomes Zach's constant shadow throughout the film. His internal battle pushes him to distrust everyone, especially his friend Josh. Charlie's decision to ignore the gravity of the situation leaves Zach feeling isolated. In his attempt to protect his friends, including Allison, his crush, Zach begins to unravel a particular assassin's modus operandi involving a certain substance🌿 and something sharp ⚔️. Far from glorifying violence, the film exposes it with disturbing sincerity, offering an exploration of youth criminality and the painful loss of innocence.

 

Rate: 4/5

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This suspenseful drama will genuinely keep you on the edge of your seat.