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The Dark Hours

The Dark Hours

200580 minRMidcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Director
Paul Fox
Starring
Kate Greenhouse, Aidan Devine, Gordon Currie, Iris Graham

Dr. Samantha Goodman is a beautiful, young psychiatrist. Burnt out, she drives to the family’s winter cottage to spend time with her husband and sister. A relaxing weekend is jarringly interrupted when a terrifying and unexpected guest arrives. What follows is an extraordinary night of terror and evil mind games where escape is not an option.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Dark Hours?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list The Dark Hours on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Dark Hours?

The Dark Hours earns 3 badges, led by Award Winner and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Dark Hours worth watching?

The Dark Hours' Midcredits score is the 42nd percentile of all films, from 7K ratings across 6 sources. 42% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

42nd percentile

Better received than 42% of films

83rd percentile among Horror41st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)44th
Approval (how many liked it)41st

60 /100

44th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Horror44th percentile among 2000s

Critics 63 · Audience 60

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

42% liked it

41st percentile of all films

80th percentile among Horror38th percentile among 2000s
42% rated it 7–1058% rated it 1–6

Critics 62% · Audience 50%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 9 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

71st percentile

7K ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Horror63rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

Box office

BudgetCA$500K

In Canadian dollar, not converted to dollars.

Opening weekend$338
Domestic gross$423
Worldwide gross$423

1st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget psychological thriller about a brain-tumor-stricken psychiatrist held hostage at a remote cabin by a vengeful ex-patient, using unreliable reality to blur truth and hallucination.

Fans praised

  • Kate Greenhouse's commanding, believable lead performance
  • Tense, claustrophobic atmosphere and psychological horror
  • Unreliable reality keeps audience guessing, ambiguous ending sparks debate

Detractors panned

  • Plot derivative of Funny Games, predictable twist seen early
  • Supporting cast and dialogue weak; some acting laughable
  • Excessive gore and forced sex scene feel gratuitous

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

Lead star Kate Greenhouse and Aidan Devine praised as intimidating, believable; detractors call performances poor especially supporting cast

AtmosphereDivisive72

Claustrophobic cabin setting, cold isolation creates immersion; detractors find it flat

TensionDivisive70

Relentless suspense and psychological dread; detractors say no scares

PacingDivisive65

80-minute runtime brisk; starts slow but tightens in second half

CharactersDivisive60

Morally ambiguous protagonist, memorable villain but supporting roles thin and unlikable

EndingDivisive50

Ambiguous finale divides; fans love debate, detractors call it frustrating and predictable

Plot and storyDivisive48

Unreliable narrative and twist debated; many find it derivative and predictable

OriginalityDivisive45

Fresh take on unreliable-reality horror; often compared unfavorably to Funny Games

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 15 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Dark Hours like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its home-invasion terror straight, with psychological horror and tense family dynamics.
The rideThe film maintains a constant atmosphere of threat and dread with no release.
StructureThe story unfolds in real-time over one night in a single cabin.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe combination of home invasion and family betrayal leaves an uneasy, lingering sense of vulnerability.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA home invasion by a former patient forces a family to endure psychological torture and deadly games, following the predator-hunted prey dynamic.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalBetrayal · 5% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the struggle to survive a home invasion while buried family secrets surface under duress.
StanceThe film uses a home invasion to expose buried family secrets, warning of the psychological damage of secrets and unchecked threats.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · E.C. Woodley
Settinga secluded family cottage in the Canadian woods
MusicThe score blends atmospheric electronic textures with sparse orchestral tension.

Content guide

Is The Dark Hours okay for kids?

R

The Dark Hours is rated R: “Rated R for terror/violence, a scene of self mutilation, language and sexual content” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (93/100), sexual content at moderate (54/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at intense (78/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (21 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Dark Hours have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Dark Hours?

Cast

Kate Greenhouse
as Dr. Samantha Goodman
Aidan Devine
as Harlan Pyne
Gordon Currie
as David Goodman
Iris Graham
as Melody
Dov Tiefenbach
as Adrian
David Calderisi
as Dr. Lew Lanigan
Jeff Seymour
as Radiologist
Trevor Hayes
as Doctor
Bruce McFee
as Donald Wegman
Kathryn Haggis
as Waitress

Crew

Directed by

Paul Fox

Written by

Wil Zmak

Cinematography

Steve Cosens

Edited by

Marlo Miazga

Music by

E.C. Woodley

Produced by

Brent Barclay

More like this

What are movies like The Dark Hours?

Movies like The Dark Hours include He's Out There (2018), Fear (1996) and Trapped (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, most are home-invasion stories, and half are stories about psychopaths.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its feel: brutal. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Dark Hours?

304 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: home invasion. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.