Have you watched a movie recently that made you turn out the lights, just so you could see what was going on? Maybe you even had to wait until nighttime to watch it. Cinematographers have been making movies relatively darker in their visual storytelling as a tool to create tension and build a more realistic, even suspenseful atmosphere, setting the mood for the film and leaving viewers lurking in the shadows. This technique has been used more and more for the past 10 years, but it doesn't mean it has always been this way. If you take a look at older movies, even the ones in black and white, you can notice the lighting and tonality of the scenes were much brighter.
That used to happen not only because it was the norm and how movies were done at the time but also because, back then, all cameras used to shoot in film, and the production could not risk losing a shot as a consequence of being too dark. It wasn't worth it, and it was also very expensive. Nowadays, with the advanced technology and the possibility to shoot films digitally, it is way easier to alter the lights for creative purposes or to film something with stale lighting and leave that for post-production to fix. This is just one of the reasons so many movies are literally too dark to see recently. This can work nicely in a theater room, but sometimes when we're watching in our living room, sitting on the sofa, it does not satisfy the viewer or look the way the director intended. Let's see some of those movies that made us close the curtains and turn down the lights.
10 Suicide Squad (2016)
Even though the promotional material of Suicide Squad was quite colorful, the movie itself looks very dark. The costumes are mostly all darkly colored except for Harley Quinn's, and there were times that it was tricky to see some scenes. Not that every element in a scene should be visible at all times, but in some stealth scenes, a few characters wearing clothes that matched the background would almost blend with the scenery. For example, in the picture above, if you watch this during the day, its visibility can change drastically depending on the amount of luminosity on your screen. Also, it doesn't help that a great part of the story happens during the night. You should increase the brightness level on that TV or monitor, so you don't miss out on any details.
9 Cruella (2021)
The movie Cruella (2021) may divide opinions story-wise, but its strongest feature is the visuals (costumes, especially). All the looks Cruella wore, sew, and displayed were really great, but the audience at home questioned the general lighting of the movie. Take this night scene, for example. Even Cruella's very red hair is not standing out, except for Emma Stone's skin. It caused some discussions, and people on Twitter started comparing images, putting shots from the film and the same images used in promotion side by side. The latter was brighter and easier to see, making her clothes and the actors stand out more than they do in the actual footage.
8 Underwater (2020)
With Kristen Stewart, Underwater is a science fiction horror movie about a group of researchers who find themselves in a fight for survival after an earthquake devastates an underwater drilling rig, leaving them stranded in the dark and isolated depths of the ocean. Despite the criticism from the viewers that it was too dark to see or that the action was difficult to follow, the idea here was to use darkness are a way of storytelling. The characters had to walk in corridors and tunnels with just a flashlight, helping them reveal the film's monster and creating suspense that leaves the audience wondering what exactly they're up against.
7 Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020)
Set four years after Train to Busan (2016), Peninsula (2020) is a South Korean zombie action-thriller film that follows a group of soldiers who are sent on a mission to retrieve a truck full of money from a quarantined peninsula. As you would expect from this genre, many of the action scenes happen at night or in dimly lit environments, making it difficult to follow when the action becomes fast-paced. They may have overused the "darkness atmosphere" to the point where it detracted from the overall viewing experience, resulting in a lot of complaints despite the suspenseful sequences that can leave you on the edge of your seat.
6 Godzilla (2014)
With a lot of smoke and nightly scenes, the reboot of the classic Godzilla is one of the movies that received many complaints about its visuals. Even so, the re-release of Godzilla (2014) promised a brighter version, and you can see the comparison of some shots. The director of the movie said this lighting was a choice to keep the monster in the dark, creating a sense of mystery around his reveal throughout the story. But, according to many viewers, and depending on the situation you're watching the film, it's so suspenseful that you can't even see the monster or the characters when they're at night and in the sea.
5 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2 (2011)
The Harry Potter series started very brightly. With the first movie released in 2001 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2 ten years later, the saga got darker narratively and visually as its characters grew on the screen. Fans complained about the bleak and somber tone in this most expected closing film, which deals with themes such as loss, sacrifice, and the ultimate struggle between good and evil. The tone is definitely darker, the stakes are much higher, and it brings the feeling of imminent doom as things get more complicated and the final battle approaches.
4 Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
This Star Wars prequel did not follow the case of other movies on this list, where the dim lighting and muddy scenes were intended to grant a sombre tone. After seeing Solo: A Star Wars Story in theaters, not just users on social media complained about the final result but also professional cinematographers and people in the industry.
What happened, in this case, is that apparently, the film was dependent on certain projection standards that a lot of theaters did not follow, which was explained by the production when it came out. Although, when it was later released on streaming and DVD, it was still too dark, and it didn't seem to change too much from its previous screening, which left people wondering if the mistake was actually the intent of the cinematographers or not.
3 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Zack Snyder's directorial style is known for slow motion, speed ramping, and dark visuals. Even though Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a highly anticipated movie, you can find fans who love and appreciate this choice of a darker film and also fans who think it was too difficult to watch some action scenes due to the great number of cuts and the lighting choices, making the watching experience frustrating at some level. But despite the differences in opinion or if you like the characters or not, it is a safe choice to watch this with the lights off to maximize your experience.
2 The Batman (2022)
One of the heavily anticipated films of 2022, Robert Pattinson's version of The Batman hit the screens with a bang. Being loudly acclaimed by the public and the critics, the movie embraces darkness throughout its long two hours and 55 minutes. Following Nolan's Batman trilogy legacy of a gritty and darker atmosphere, we see many scenes where Batman fights on alleys, subways, and hides in the shadows, just like a proper bat. But the problem is that everyone who could not go to cinemas at the time of its release or those who would like to watch it at home will surely suffer from this lighting choice.
1 Alien vs Predator: Requiem (2007)
Almost the consensus when you talk about dark movies on the internet, Alien vs Predator: Requiem, had not only a visual problem but the movie, in general, didn't have a positive response. People who were part of the crew during the production mentioned that the directors made the dark lighting because they were afraid that the audience wouldn't buy the monsters, and they would look just like a couple of 'guys in a suit'. Also, some crew members complained about the lighting during the shooting process, wondering if people watching would be able to differentiate the characters on the screen. Well, they were right. One of the viewers posted a video on Youtube where they increased the brightness of the movie by 300%, and it still looked very dark. If you're watching this movie, you have to be prepared for a very dark story - literally.