Fillion stars as man able to see those about to die in this well-delivered sequel to Michael Keaton’s White Noise. Combining butterfly effect morals with a straight supernatural thriller, Fillion excels in the role which is backed by a strong script and fast moving story.
White Noise was a curate’s egg of a movie. One step above the increasingly tired two-step of poor Asian horror remakes and slasher movies that have choked horror for the last few years it nonetheless still, somehow, managed to waste a good cast, a good premise and an intriguing central phenomenon. In contrast, White Noise: The Light is smart, well written, acted and directed and contains that rarest of all things in modern horror movies; a plot with a beginning, a middle and an end…
…White Noise 2 is automatically several points ahead of its predecessor with the two leads. Fillion is a pathologically likable leading man and as Abe he does a decent job of running the gamut from suicidal depression to manic energy. The middle section of the film is particularly impressive with Abe running himself ragged trying to save people in increasingly ludicrous situations. Always polite, always likeable and always just on the edge of losing it he’s a quintessential everyman actor and more than capable of carrying the emotional weight of the plot on his shoulders, particularly in the final half hour…
…To go into specifics would spoil the fun, but White Noise: The Light is both very different from the original and from 90 percent of the horror movies on the market today. The script explores the central concept fully, the characters are well rounded and the final half hour is bleaker than anything else you’ll see this year. A genuinely pleasant surprise and one any horror fan should treat themselves to.
(Thanks to Dorian for the translation)
Abe Dale, along with his wife Rebecca and child Danny, are in a cafe when a man comes in and shoots his wife and child. Abe is at the end of his rope and decides to take an overdose of pills. He is saved from death after the suicide attempt, but keeps some strange abilities because of his NDE (Near Death Experience). He can see when someone will die soon because of the type of aura they have. Abe tries to save their lives, but does not realise the far-reaching impact of his decisions…
Rating: 7. When it started we thought it would be like Hostel II. “Americans have no imagination.” But from the opening sequence, we were immediately surprised by the film’s scary moments. The hair on your neck will stand up at the first sight of dead people and the frightening moments continue throughout the film. I could not look because I knew another scary moment was at hand, but you find yourself glued to your seat with such a horror film. The tale itself is okay at best, but it is made incredible with the good acting, particularly of Nathan Fillion (Serenity, Slither) and puzzling seens that fall right into place in this horror-action-suspense film.
In fact White Noise 2: The Light is a film that may actually build up more of a following after release as people suddenly realise that it is actually a great Friday night movie. Oh of course it is never going to be a classic but I went to see this not expecting that much at all and came out of the cinema impressed and having enjoyed a good 90 minutes odd entertainment.
A lot of this is to do with Fillion (the main reason I went to see it) he has a great B-movie style to him (could he become the new Bruce Campbell?), an ability to find himself in a ludicrous storyline but still manage to treat it with complete seriousness and a sense of humour at the same time. I have a lot of time for him and will certainly watch him in anything he is in. While the part of Abe isn’t up to the quality of the sheriff in Slither Abe is a man you feel for … Fillion is what makes this more than just an average movie. I have this feeling many an actor would have crossed over a line and taken the character to far into the comedy side.
Katee Sackhoff is a real find though, she looks great (which helps!) but she also comes across as a real person. The chemistry between her and Fillion is a very big plus to the story. It makes you get more involved in it and accepting of the more supernatural sides to what is going on.
As a final note there are a couple of really cute little touches that brought a grin to my face. First off there was the viewing of Frankenstein on TV, a nice correlation with the returning to life of Abe in the hospital and then there is the sight of a little girl in a red coat running around and hiding near the end. Nothing much to do with the story but it just has to be a nice little homage to the classic ‘Don’t Look Now’.
If you have avoided this film because of its connection to White Noise think again, if you like b-movie style horror thrillers this is a thoroughly entertaining piece of film.
The movie got more interesting throughout and couldn’t help but much, I wanted to see the entire outcome of the film. It’s helped by Nathan Fillion’s excellent performance. His likable and believable attitude helped the film, a lot. The film was backed up with beautiful imagery including those gnarly ghosts and the scene where Fillion’s character heads toward the light. What a great sequence! Let’s not forget the solid directing by Patrick Lussier, the moody music score and the ballsy ending…Patrick Lussier’s directing was on the ball when it came it style and suspense…We get a moody and at times, creepy music score. Good stuff…
In the end, this film was far better then I imagined. It has an interesting and engaging premise and solid acting and directing. I recommend hunting it down in the USA when it’s released.
This movie is very well made and has a surprisingly strong story. The main character is played by Nathan Fillion as Abe Dale who suffers a tragedy and becomes part of an unfolding one that opens in front of him almost in an origami like pattern. It kept my attention all the way through but it’s not what I’d called a ’scary movie’…..Nathan was very convincing and showed a darker side to him than normally portrayed. Kattee Sackhoff of Battlestar Galactica fame also plays a supporting role but is more of a femme fatalle. She smiles a lot in the movie and it looks a bit strange like she’s in on some unspoken joke once or twice but who cares, she is very watchable and wonderful eye candy.
These French reviews of White Noise The Light (known in France as “La Voix des morts : La lumière”) were translated by Google. The rating system used is out of 4 stars.
There was little publicity, the release was limited, it had actors that I had never heard of, and I had never seen the first film. I entered the theatre with reservations. The surprise was all the better, that the film was very good and was wonderful in contrast [with my prior reservations]. The rhythm, the good scenario, and an actress with a smile that could make one fall to the ground, and some good surprises. In any case, it was an enjoyable time which I will share with all the lovers of fantasy.
–samuel94- 12/05/2007 (4 stars)
This film was brilliant, largely better than the first film which itself was not all bad. It was more alarming than the first and more captivating. I suggest all lovers of this genre see this film. Four stars—very good.
– John-Boy-Films.Critique - 11/05/2007 (4 stars)
A good film, which contains good frightening moments, and which, in addition to an original and elaborate story that remains credible without taking itself too seriously. Watching it was very enjoyable.
– Defnael - 11/05/2007 (3 stars)
Really a super fantasy and science fiction film. The history is well constructed and one follows the course of the action in this thriller, awaiting the outcome with a tight throat. I really enjoyed myself and I will now watch the first thriller which I had not seen.
–titicaca120 - 10/05/2007 (3 stars)
This is a rare and mysterious film that is not only spooky but also has an impressive male lead and a compelling tale.
This is a chilling tale with twists that grip the viewer creating a real sense of horror.
This movie beats the original hands down!
I loved it, in fact i purchased the DVD.
The action starts immediatly and doesnt let go until the end, the acting is good and the scares are great, also its more emotional overall.
I watched the original and thought it was OK… When I found out there was a part 2, I thought to myself “Are You Joking”. I got a chance to see this movie recently and wow, way better then I ever expected! The storyline make sense. The charters are believable. The special effects and creepy scenes are great.
Instead of the original, they should have taken Michael Keaton paycheck and invest it in this movie. The acting and the plot was good enough for the big screen. I watched it with my girlfriend and the movie got 3 or 4 good screams out of her! I would strongly recommend this movie if you want a good Friday Night Scare.