Movie Review - Lights Out

WHEN Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) receives news from a school guidance counsellor that her younger half-brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) is falling asleep in class, she decides to investigate his odd behaviour.

Turns out, their mother Sophie (Maria Bello) has been keeping Martin up every night by speaking to an imaginary friend called Diana – the sole reason why Rebecca left home years before, and the same ghost that haunted her when she was younger.

We've all heard horror stories about children having imaginary friends, but have you ever heard of an adult having one?

It's a fresh take on the genre and you'll definitely be creeped out by how realistic it is, especially when the lights go out and your eyes start playing tricks with shadows and objects in the dark.

With horror auteur James Wan as the producer (Swedish film-maker David F. Sandberg is the actual director), you can trust him to bring your nightmares to life.

Despite the chills, as the movie progresses, I find the chills getting more predictable and less frightening. But the cinematography and sound effects deserve credit, as they contribute to the jump scares.

The best aspect of the film for me is Palmer, who's brilliant at her role. You've got this edgy tough chick of a big sister who stands up for her younger sibling despite being just as terrified herself.

I wished that the film explored more of ­Rebecca's childhood experience with Diana; I believe that would have added more depth to the story and prevent the film from looking rushed.

The ending might be a bit of a disappointment for horror junkies, but stay for the post-credits sequence because something tells us that we might have a sequel to Lights Out.