“Lights Out” is a brand new horror movie that relies only on one visual effect – having the lights turned off aka dark. Now, a person would think that this visual effect that is not groundbreaking at all will make the movie boring and not scary. However, the greatest thing about “Lights Out” is that it relies so heavily on this effect. And, it makes it crazy scary.

The movie is definitely so proud of its central, mysterious figure that appears only when the lights are out, and who disappears physically with the flip of the light switch. This concept is incredibly and irrationally effective on the audience. And, just because you know how the scare works will not make the movie less scary at all. Instead, it increases the creepy impact of the trick.

“Lights Out” was produced by James Wan, who also worked on “The Conjuring.” The movie began as David Sandberg’s three-minute-long 2013 movie. Then, Sandberg and Wan simply took the idea, expanded it, and turned it into an 81-minute-long dreadful experience.

The movie starts with a young boy Martin having a phone conversation with his father. Martin informs him that his mother has stopped taking her medication and simply won’t stop talking to her imaginary friend Diana. One day, Martin’s stepsister Rebecca is contacted by a school nurse who tells her that her younger brother is having problems with sleeping in class. When Martin mentioned Diana to Rebecca, she remembered her traumatic childhood years and tried to take Martin with her. However, they ended up in Martin’s house having to face Diana – a dead, supernatural, or even imaginary creature.

Sandberg gradually reveals the back story which is unpeeled in flashbacks and skillfully controls every kind of light you can imagine – everything from flickering lamps to the glowing screen of a smartphone. His goal was to make the audience jump, scream, and sit while waiting for the next inevitable jump scare.

However, this predictability of the movie (which is definitely one of its greatest features), a creature that only appears in the dark, is what bothers many horror fans. For them, the movie is simply a tread through the usual elements.

Besides this negative side, the movie received mostly positive critics. “Lights Out” will deliver minimalist frights in old-school ways and have you wishing that you watched the movie during the day.

Also, let’s keep in mind that the director and producers had only $4.9 million to create this work of art. In the end, they managed to make the movie gross $85.7 million worldwide.

Before deciding to watch this sweetly terrifying horror movie, take a look at the 3-minute-long video it was based on to see if you will be able to survive the 81-minute-long version of it. Also, make sure to check out how the crew made all of those horrifying scenes.