Max Minghella and Emile Hirsch in "The Darkest Hour"; photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment

“The Darkest Hour” (Summit Entertainment) 

A few years ago Emile Hirsch was one of Hollywood’s fastest rising young stars. He had made quite an impression in the film “Into the Wild” and had followed it up with a solid role in “Milk.” But a few bad choices after that put his bright career on hold and reduced him to playing parts like that of “Sean” in “The Darkest Hour,” a throw away film about an invasion of aliens. Hopefully he has something better coming up quickly so that this “alien movie” will not be the death nail in his career coffin.

In “The Darkest Hour” Sean and his best friend Ben (Max Minghella) are on their way to Moscow for a business pitch. When they arrive they find they have been cheated out of their pitch by a Russian business acquaintance named Skylar (Joel Kinnaman). They decide to drown their sorrows at a Russian hotspot where they meet Natalie (Olivia Thirlby) and Anne (Rachel Taylor).

At the club the lights suddenly go off and when they look outside they see bright globes of light coming down from the skies. It only takes a few moments to decide these are alien forces and they are deadly. The rest of the movie concerns these four, plus Skylar, trying to escape from the aliens and hook up with other survivors.

In this movie the acting is better than the story and the effects. Hirsch is believable as Sean and he displays the attributes of a leader. He also is believably romantic with Natalie. Minghella also handles his role of Ben with ease. Max Minghella is the son of esteemed director Anthony Minghella and the family talent does not appear to have stopped with him.

The film is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.

The movie does not make a lot of sense. Can the aliens be killed? What weapons will stop them? Where are they from, and what do they want? Some of the answers to these questions are supplied while others are not, or if they are they are not presented clearly. The audience learns just to accept things as they happen and not question how or why.

“The Darkest Hour” appears to be an alternative movie offering to all the big star blockbusters that have filled the holiday season. If that was the plan it didn’t work because this film comes off as being a poor alternative to anything. It will draw its core group of “alien” followers and then disappear.

I scored “The Darkest Hour” a not so bright 4 out of 10.