Rent A Dark Path (2020)

Lost in the woods - A Dark Path review by NP

Misleading packaging isn’t anything new. ‘Dark Path’ is a good example of this. On the DVD cover, we’re treated to a close-up of a snarling, multi-fanged creature. The monsters in the actual film, however, don’t appear to be of the same stock. This may explain a lot of the drubbing this production has had from some reviewers, which is fair enough. What isn’t so easy to take seriously, however, is when reviewers watch a low-budget independent film and then slate it for not having a huge amount of money spent on it.

While the monsters themselves my lack bite, a lot else is well done. On the technical side of things, the mostly night-time scenes are well lit and moody, and the sound design – so often a problem in projects of this nature – is perfectly balanced. The characters are mostly well-played and defined, although main player Abi (Makenna Guyler) is relentlessly acerbic; although we find out the reason for it, her spikiness could have done with being dialled down a bit. She and wayward sister Lily (Mari Beaseley) enjoy a kind of ‘ladette’ banter which for the most part works well.

The story was engrossing enough for me not to have noticed that this is a mostly all-female cast until the simpering character of Peter turns up. Played by Jimmy Essex, his involvement is a brief one.

I quite enjoy the way the film is left open-ended; Abi does everything right, and yet her fate doesn’t look promising. Again, some reviewers have decided the film ‘just stops’, which isn’t fair. We’re left at a pivotal moment, which is clearly a deliberate creative decision.

Associate producer is Lucinda-Rhodes Thakanacker, (along with husband Jeet Thakrar) who people may remember for her performances in ‘Harry and Cosh’ and ‘Cavegirl’ among other things. Her recent career seems to have steered her toward the horror genre, which is good to see.

‘A Dark Path’ doesn’t try and reinvent the horror film. Rather, it provides 75 minutes that I found enjoyable, cheesy, absorbing and well produced. My score is 7 out of 10.