{{short description|2017 film by Kevin Phillips}} {{lead too short|date=May 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Super Dark Times | image = Super Dark Times poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Kevin Phillips | producer = Edward Parks<br/>Richard Peete<br/>Jett Steiger | writer = Ben Collins<br/>Luke Piotrowski | starring = {{Plainlist| * Owen Campbell * Charlie Tahan * Elizabeth Cappuccino * Max Talisman }} | music = Ben Frost | cinematography = Eli Born | editing = Ed Yonaitis | studio = | distributor = The Orchard | released = {{Film date|2017|01|29|Rotterdam|2017|09|29|United States}} | runtime = 103 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = $33,109<ref>{{Mojo title |id= superdarktimes|title=Super Dark Times}}</ref> }}
'''''Super Dark Times''''' is a 2017 American independent psychological thriller film, directed by Kevin Phillips and written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski. It stars Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, Elizabeth Cappuccino, Max Talisman and Amy Hargreaves.<ref>{{cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad|title=[Tribeca Review] 'Super Dark Times' is a Teenage Nightmare|date=21 April 2017|publisher=Bloody Disgusting|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3431491/tribeca-review-super-dark-times-teenage-nightmare/|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Philip|title=Super Dark Times|date=5 May 2017|newspaper=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2017/may/05/super-dark-times-20170505/?f=entertainment-movies|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Tallerico|first=Brian|title=FANTASIA 2017, DAY 6: "BAD GENIUS," "SUPER DARK TIMES"|date=20 July 2017|publisher=RogerEbert.com|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals-and-awards/fantasia-2017-day-6-bad-genius-super-dark-times|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref> It is Phillips' directorial debut.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sokol|first=Tony|title=Super Dark Times Trailer Reveals High School Horrors|date=2 August 2017|publisher=Den of Geek|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/super-dark-times/266769/super-dark-times-trailer-reveals-high-school-horrors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805072312/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/super-dark-times/266769/super-dark-times-trailer-reveals-high-school-horrors|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 5, 2017|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Oller|first=Jacob|title=''Super Dark Times'' (2017 Tribeca Film Festival Review)|date=21 April 2017|magazine=Paste|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/04/super-dark-times.html|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=Greg|title='Super Dark Times' Trailer: Moment Of Horror Drives Harrowing Teen Drama|date=2 August 2017|website=Deadline Hollywood|url=https://deadline.com/2017/08/super-dark-times-trailer-harrowing-teen-drama-the-orchard-1202141021/|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Weissberg|first=Jay|title=Rotterdam Film Review: 'Super Dark Times'|date=1 February 2017|magazine=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/super-dark-times-rotterdam-film-review-1201975932/|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref> After a traumatic accident, an inseparable pair of teenage boys and best friends lose their innocence and sanity from jealousy, violence and paranoia.
==Plot== In 1996, in Upstate New York, two teenage best friends, Zach and Josh, rate the girls in their yearbook. They find a common interest in Allison.
After school, the duo crosses the path of the universally-disliked Daryl and his eighth-grade friend Charlie. Later that week, the four boys meet up at Josh's house where they look through the possessions of Josh's brother, who is away in the military, and find a bag of marijuana and a katana.
Afterwards, the boys play with the sword in a secluded park area bordering the local cemetery and notice that Daryl has stolen the marijuana. After a tense argument, Josh and Daryl fight, resulting in Daryl being accidentally stabbed in the neck with the katana. Daryl runs from the scene but only makes it into the adjacent forest where he dies. The boys panic and hide both Daryl's body and the weapon.
At school, rumors circulate about Daryl's disappearance. Zach has nightmares and Josh doesn't attend classes. Zach wants to return to Daryl's burial site and attend Allison's upcoming party with Josh, who declines but goes to Allison's party separately where he shares his brother's weed. Zach, disturbed, leaves.
Another student, John, is found dead. Rumors speculate that he fell off a bridge. Zach suspects that Josh is responsible for John's death. He returns to Daryl's burial site and finds the katana missing and Daryl's corpse mutilated.
Zach goes to Josh's home and realizes Josh is with Allison. He tracks her to Meghan's house, where Josh has killed Meghan with the katana and tied Allison up. After Zach unties her, the former friends fight until a neighbor intervenes and subdues Josh, who is arrested, while Zach's fate is left unknown.
Months later, Allison has recovered and returns to school. A camera shot shows three parallel lines on the back of her neck.
==Cast== *Owen Campbell as Zach Taylor *Charlie Tahan as Josh Templeton *Elizabeth Cappuccino as Allison Bannister *Max Talisman as Daryl Harper *Sawyer Barth as Charlie Barth *Amy Hargreaves as Karen Taylor, Zach's mother *Adea Lennox as Meghan *Ethan Botwick as John Whitcomb *Anni Krueger as Mrs. Barron *Kortnee Simmons as Eugene *Casey Sullivan as Senior
==Production== The film was shot in Kingston, New York.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Alm|first=David|title='Super Dark Times' Tracks The Emergence Of A Teenage Psychopath|date=September 29, 2017|magazine=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidalm/2017/09/29/super-dark-times-tracks-the-emergence-of-a-teenage-psychopath/?sh=74d04d91a0a7|accessdate=May 12, 2024}}</ref> According to Phillips, the opening deer scene "was based off of some sort of urban tale that happened at our school(...)(a)bout a deer in Pennsylvania that broke through the window and bled to death on the ground."<ref>{{cite web|last=Monagle|first=Matthew|title=Fantastic Fest: A Conversation With the Cast and Director of 'Super Dark Times'|date=September 28, 2017|website=Film School Rejects|url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/super-dark-times-interview/|accessdate=May 12, 2024}}</ref>
==Release== The film premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web|last=Young|first=Neil|title='Super Dark Times': Film Review; Rotterdam 2017|date=2 February 2017|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/super-dark-times-971268|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref> It made its North American premiere on April 20, 2017, at the Tribeca Film Festival.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=McGovern|first=Joe|title=Watch an exclusive clip from high school thriller ''Super Dark Times''|date=20 April 2017|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/04/20/super-dark-times-exclusive-clip/|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref> ''Deadline Hollywood'' reported that The Orchard had acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film in March 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grobar|first=Matt|title='Super Dark Times' Stars & Director Kevin Phillips On An Act Of Violence That Changes Everything — Tribeca Studio|date=22 April 2017|website=Deadline Hollywood|url=https://deadline.com/2017/04/super-dark-times-tribeca-film-festival-kevin-phillips-owen-campbell-interview-news-1202073696/|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref> The film was released in theaters on September 29, 2017, and digitally on October 3, 2017.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=McGovern|first=Joe|title=''Super Dark Times'': Check out a tense trailer for the new high school thriller|date=2 August 2017|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/08/02/super-dark-times-trailer/|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref> It plays on Hulu streaming.<ref>{{cite web|title=Super Dark Times|date=4 January 2018 |url=https://dreadcentral.com/news/263726/super-dark-times-now-streaming-netflix/|accessdate=January 18, 2018}}</ref>
===Reception=== {{expand section|date=February 2020}} The film has a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 48 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Rich in atmosphere and period detail, ''Super Dark Times'' is an effective teen thriller whose true power lies in its approach to deeper themes."<ref>{{cite web|title=Super Dark Times (2017)|work=Rotten Tomatoes|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/super_dark_times|accessdate=18 November 2022}}</ref> Metacritic reports a score of 75/100 based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/super-dark-times|title=Super Dark Times Reviews|work=Metacritic|accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref>
David Ehrlich of IndieWire graded the film a B−.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ehrlich|first=David|title=Review: 'Super Dark Times' Is An Unnerving Cross Between 'Stand By Me' and 'Donnie Darko' — Tribeca 2017|date=20 April 2017|work=IndieWire|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2017/04/super-dark-times-review-kevin-phillips-tribeca-film-festival-2017-1201807555/|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref>
===Awards and nominations=== ''Super Dark Times'' won the best feature film award at the 17th Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Gash|first=Lawrence|title='Super Dark Times' takes top prize at Neuchatel|date=10 July 2017|magazine=Screen Daily|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/super-dark-times-takes-top-prize-at-neuchatel/5119803.article|accessdate=11 August 2017}}</ref> It was also the winner of Best Sound Design in a Feature Film at the 2017 Music+Sound Awards,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.masawards.com/winners-2017/|title=2017 Winners|website=Music+Sound Awards|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-01-04}}</ref> and received a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Independent Film at the 44th Saturn Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/saturn-awards-nominations-2018-black-panther-walking-dead-1202727752/|title='Black Panther,' 'Walking Dead' Rule Saturn Awards Nominations|last=McNary|first=Dave|work=Variety|date=March 15, 2018|access-date=March 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316023438/http://variety.com/2018/film/news/saturn-awards-nominations-2018-black-panther-walking-dead-1202727752/|archive-date=March 16, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> At the 33rd Independent Spirit Awards, Kevin Phillips was nominated for the Someone to Watch Award.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Nyren|first=Erin|title=2018 Independent Spirit Awards: Winners List (Updating Live)|date=3 March 2018|magazine=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/spirit-awards-2018-winners-list-1202716594/|accessdate=30 June 2019}}</ref>
== See also == * ''I Am Not a Serial Killer'' * ''Summer of 84''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|5112578}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|super_dark_times}}
Category:2017 films Category:2010s psychological drama films Category:2017 psychological thriller films Category:American psychological thriller films Category:American independent films Category:American coming-of-age films Category:Films set in 1996 Category:Films about missing people Category:Films about murder Category:Films about murderers Category:Films produced by Ben Collins (writer) Category:Films produced by Luke Piotrowski Category:Films with screenplays by Ben Collins (writer) Category:Films with screenplays by Luke Piotrowski Category:Films about juvenile sexuality Category:Films about child death Category:Films about sleep Category:2017 directorial debut films Category:2017 drama films Category:2017 independent films Category:2017 English-language films Category:2017 American films Category:Films shot in New York (state) Category:English-language independent films Category:English-language thriller films Category:Films shot in the Hudson Valley