After the box office success of ‘X-Men: First Class’ and ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’, comes another high-octane action-packed thriller from the same studio in January 2012. Fox Star Studios’ ‘The Darkest Hour’ tells the story of five young people who find themselves trapped in Moscow, fighting to stay alive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. The film’s cast is a fresh young group that includes Emile Hirsch (‘Speed Racer’, ‘Into the Wild’), Olivia Thirlby (‘Juno’) and Max Minghella (‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’, ‘The Social Network’). The first trailer gives movie buffs a sneak peek at the digital wizardry and action sequences that they can get to see in 3D.
Produced by filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov and Tom Jacobson with direction by Chris Gorak, the 3D thriller is one of the rare films that has showcased the characteristic beauty of Russia alongside incredible special effects. The film, explains Chris, brings something radically new to the cinematic experience. “The movie is going to be a really strong emotional and thrilling ride. Our aliens aren’t just creatures – they’re cloaked in an electrically-charged shield that affects the environment around them. What I got really excited about was the idea that the darkness is safer than the light.” Emile adds, “The most exciting thing for audiences would be to ask themselves, ‘How would I act in the face of adversity?’ Clearly an alien invasion is, hopefully, not in our future. But the film is really about young people trying to figure out who they are and what it takes to be a hero. I really hope that character’s journey will resonate. I’m fairly confident that the visual effects will be something that you quite simply haven’t seen before. Movies are made of moments and there are moments in here that people are going to remember for quite a while.” The Darkest Hour releases on January 6, 2012.
