LIGHTS OUT (2016) *

Martin (Gabriel Bateman) is an exhausted kid who keeps falling asleep in class.  When his nutzo mom (Maria Bello) won’t pick him up from school, it’s up to his estranged sister Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) to take him home.  When Rebecca discovers mom’s off her meds, she decides to let Martin stay with her.  Rebecca slowly realizes Martin’s insomnia is directly tied to a mysterious shadowy entity named Diana, who can only be seen in the dark.  Eventually, Diana comes for Martin, and it’s up to his big sister to protect him.

Lights Out was expanded from a short film and boy, does it ever show.  It’s only eighty minutes long, but there’s really only enough plot for eight.  Bloodless and boring, it flounders around for most of the running time substituting darkened rooms for genuine atmosphere.  The attack scenes are repetitive too.  Diana appears in the shadows.  Someone shines a light on her.  She disappears.  They move the flashlight, and she returns; this time accompanied by loud screeching sounds on the soundtrack to let the audience know it’s “scary”.  Minor variations on this scenario are peppered about here and there as the movie reaches its obvious conclusion, but none of them are remotely effective.

This was the first feature by David F. Sandberg, who went on to make the better-than-it-should’ve-been Annabelle:  Creation and the fun Shazam!  (There are a lot of DC superhero references throughout the film.)  If anything will keep you muddling through, it’s the fine lead performance by Teresa Palmer.  Other than that, there isn’t much here to recommend.  You’re sure to be out like a light by the time the credits roll.

AKA:  Lights/Off.