LIGHTS OUT

Title : Lights Out

Languange : English

Release Date : June 8, 2016 (Los Angeles Film Festival)

July 22, 2016 (United States)

Directed By : David F. Sandberg

Distributed By : Warner Bros. Pictures

Lights Out is a 2016 American supernatural horror film directed by David F. Sandberg in his major directorial debut, produced by Lawrence Grey, James Wan and Eric Heisserer and written by Heisserer. It stars Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Alexander DiPersia, Billy Burke and Maria Bello. It is based on Sandberg's 2013 short film of the same name and features Lotta Losten, who starred in the short.

The film had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 8, 2016, and was released in the United States and Canada on July 22, 2016, by Warner Bros. The film received positive reviews and was a box office success, grossing $148 million against a budget of $4.9 million.

Plot

In a textile warehouse, worker Esther sees a silhouette of a zombie-like female figure when she turns the lights off, but sees nothing with the lights on. She warns owner Paul about the apparition, which he ignores, and leaves. Paul is then chased and gruesomely killed by the figure.

Paul's stepdaughter, Rebecca, lives away from her mother Sophie and half-brother Martin. Sophie suffers from mental illness and a depression that has resurfaced, talking to an imaginary friend. One night, Martin sees Sophie talking to a figure and is horrified, he runs into his bedroom and hears scratching at his door and the door knob being turned. The next morning the nurse sees Martin and that was it something is wrong. She tries calling his mom but the mom doesn't answer. She finally calls Rebecca who comes in with her boyfriend to the school to pick up Martin. Rebecca takes Martin to his house and Rebecca and her mom talk to him about his lack of sleep. While he is packing his overnight bag in his bedroom ready to leave he hears a strange noise in the room next to his. All of a sudden a dark figure appears behind the door and slammed the door shut. Rebecca takes Martin to her apartment to protect him against their mother's wishes. That night, Rebecca awakens to see the figure, barely avoiding its attack thanks to the building's neon sign flashing through her window. The next morning, Rebecca finds "Diana" scrawled on the floor. She recalls Diana from her own childhood, the reason she left when her father, Sophie's first husband, seemingly abandoned them. Later, she breaks in and sees files about Sophie and Diana, and that Diana was killed when exposed to a bright light during an experiment.

Sophie has a movie night with Martin, but seemingly invites the figure, frightening him. She tells him a story about the figure, Diana, her friend when she was in an institution, who had an unusual condition that made her skin photosensitive. Martin sees Diana crouched above and turns on the light, escaping to Rebecca's before Diana can attack him. They see Diana again at Rebecca's house, where she tries to attack Martin but Rebecca saves him.

Rebecca confronts Sophie about Diana but she denies the accusations. Rebecca, her boyfriend Bret and Martin decide to stay overnight to protect Sophie. Rebecca goes to her bedroom door to reconcile; however, Sophie secretly passes her a note saying "I need help" before Diana tugs her back in. Rebecca realizes that she is being controlled and turns on all the lights in the house to keep Diana away.

Knowing their intentions, Diana baits Rebecca and Martin into the basement by shorting out the power. Bret is attacked but escapes and contacts the police. Rebecca realizes that using a blacklight can allow them to see Diana and discovers scrawled writings along the wall, explaining how Diana won't let anyone "take" Sophie and that she killed Rebecca's father.

A pair of police officers arrive and free Rebecca and Martin but are killed by Diana. Rebecca sends Martin out with Bret and goes back to rescue Sophie. Diana attacks Rebecca violently, but Sophie confronts her with a gun. Realizing she's Diana's tether to the world, Sophie commits suicide with the gun, which makes Diana disappear. Distraught, Rebecca, Martin and Bret reconcile and vow to stay together.