Between the Darkness (aka Come Said the Night) is a terrifying example of misguided parenting

Between the Darkness is an atypical coming-of-age horror film and a cautionary tale about the impact of patriarchal values on fatherhood.

Nestled in the heart of the woods is the Grady family Sanctuary, an old house that functions as a retreat when the darkness of the real world becomes overwhelming. In the case of Between the Darkness’s Roy Grady (Lew Temple from The Walking Dead), he uses the sanctuary as a place to protect his children from the horrors of society.

What does Roy believe is the “otherness” his son Percy (Tate Birchmore) and daughter Sprout (Nicole Moorea Sherman) must be protected from? “Abnormals with tangled genders, mixed-race unions, or young girls doing the dance of sirens.” Yes, Roy is a bigot who masquerades as a member of the enlightened.

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Roy’s character is central to understanding the source of conflict in the story. When we meet the Grady family, they are recovering from the tragedy of losing a daughter and a sister in Magda (played in flashbacks by Daniela Leon).

They sit in silence to offer prayer to Harpocrates. Roy is impassioned by the idea of the ancient deities and assigns his children to find a God they believe is most suitable for their individual needs.

Initially, it appears Roy is an eccentric, and nothing more. His definition of what he fears from the outside helps flesh out the more insidious aspects of his personality.

As I mentioned before, the film’s pacing can venture into tedious territory. Early on, we learn a gorgon is stalking Sprout in her dreams. She experiences sleep paralysis at night and is unable to do anything but what in helplessness as the creature sways in an eerie dream-like state. The movie doesn’t do much with this plot point until almost the end of the film.

However, that is because Between the Darkness explores the richness of Sprout blossoming into a woman. Her womanhood threatens Roy. It is established early on he even refuses to call her by her real name, referring to think of her as her innocent, child-like form.

Sprout doesn’t have a positive female role model in her life until she meets Ranger Stella Woodhouse (Danielle Harris of Halloween fame). Her mother is out of the picture. The new fullness of her hips and the start of her period is exciting and terrifying to Sprout.

Before she had Magda to help her through the nuances of girlhood, now she struggles to figure it out alone while still attempting to craft herself into a huntress modeled after Artemis.

The forces guiding her are masculine, and those haunting her are feminine. It’s an interesting parallel to draw. When they intersect, they breed the film’s most compelling scenes. It helps Sprout is at the center of this film. Her performance is anchored by Sherman’s ease of gravitating from the doe-eyed child of yesterday to formidable warrior of tomorrow.

I almost feel like Between the Darkness would have worked better had they removed some of the distinctive horror moments. It already has a palpable fearsome core, one that rings true for many women. Sprout is being forced to live under the rigor of Roy’s misguided, fearful stance on womanhood.

Sprout and Roy’s relationship is one of the most interesting parts of the movie, especially when you compare the differences and similarities in their character arcs.

You wonder how Roy can ever expect his daughter to grow if he doesn’t let her embrace who she is. He must evade his patriarchal, misogynistic views of her gender. Then you realize that his idea of freedom is far different and more sinister than what we’ve come to know.

Between the Darkness is an ambitious film that stumbles most obviously in its pacing. It still has a story to tell, and Sprout’s journey is one worth following.

Overall I give the film a 7 out of 10 and recommend giving it a chance if you have the time.

Are you planning on watching Between the Darkness? Are you a fan of film stars Lew Temple and/or Danielle Harris? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

DarkCoast will release Between the Darkness (aka Come Said the Night) onto digital streaming platforms on August 20th.