ReelBob: ‘The Blacklight’ ★★½

By Bob Bloom

“The Blacklight” is a dense movie — part heist flick, part crime thriller with a dash of the supernatural.

It is convoluted and violent and, at 128 minutes, way too long.

But, somehow, it works despite its length and frustratingly slow moments.

The main protagonist is Danny (Grant Lancaster), a criminal trying to turn over a new leaf who, in an unsuccessful attempt to rob spoiled rich boy Liam (Brooks Russell), is reluctantly drawn into Liam’s dreams of being a wanna-be outlaw by helping him rob some of his wealthy neighbors for fun.

Things go awry when they recruit Kit Viper (Corey Scott Rutledge) to be the third member of their crew.

Their first target is Landon Hirsch, an elderly cultist. But when that caper goes bloodily awry, the trio go on the run, but not before Kit steals a black metal box from Hirsch’s home.

For the rest of the movie, the box is sought and passed around by various factions as the body count continually rises.

Adding to the pile of corpses is Danny’s childhood friend, the psychotic Lucky (Richard Templeton), who just enjoys inflicting pain and killing.

The mysterious metal box contains a cloth with supernatural powers that makes its wearer invincible and shows him visions.

Writer-director Nick Snow, who co-wrote the story with Russell, uses a non-linear technique that at times makes events hard to follow.

Plus, you almost need a scorecard to keep track of the characters and who is working for whom.

The use of sound and color keep you invested in the proceedings, as does Templeton’s over-the-top performance. When he is on screen the movie percolates.

At times, “The Blacklight” trips over its own ambitious storytelling. The crime and supernatural elements don’t always mesh, but overall, Snow is able to offer a satisfying conclusion that does not disappoint.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

THE BLACKLIGHT
2 1/2 stars out of 4
Not rated, graphic violence, brief nudity, sexual situations, language