For Blumhouse’s polarizing anthology series in February, the writers of “Into the Dark” tackle Valentine’s Day. One of the nasty aspects of having to write the review for “Down” is it’s nearly impossible to write about it without spoiling the episode’s big hook. And the primary motivation for watching “Down” is the way the premise devolves in to a huge twist mid-way. Like all of the episodes of “Into the Dark” so far, the episode is fifteen minutes too long, but once it completely reaches fever pitch, it’s quite an exhilarating horror thriller based around the holiday.
On Valentine’s evening, a young executive woman is preparing to go home for the weekend. As she’s entering the elevator, she holds the door open for co-worker who is also rushing home for the holiday. As they begin chatting one another up, the elevator breaks down. With no one in the building and the security guard seemingly abandoning their posts, the young couple is stuck in the elevator. Soon enough, though, things get desperate and what begins as a fateful romance, transforms in to a blood soaked fight for survival. Director Daniel Stamm, of “The Last Exorcism” and “Fear the Walking Dead,” manages to create an atmosphere of sheer claustrophobia and desperation, especially as the narrative progresses.
The setting gets tighter and tighter the more that the narrative unfolds revealing so much more than what we think we’re seeing, allowing for the elevator to become its own character. Natalie Martinez and Matt Lauria take up the acting duties for what is essentially a two character pieces centered on one setting and they do a bang up job. They have some stellar chemistry with one another, portraying two people that don’t know one another, who gradually have to learn to trust each other as it becomes somewhat apparent that they’re in the elevator without a way out. One thing you have to admit about “Into the Dark” is that they stick to their holiday themes big time, and “Down” is a fractured Valentine’s tale that implements elements of the occasion well.
The concept of the episode is quite brilliant, and once it completely comes full circle mid-way, it’ll guarantee to suck you in. Once the episode reveals its true colors, the tension and vicious violence kept me watching and anxiously wondering how these characters would ultimately come out of this situation. For the sake of the experience it’s, once again, tough to review the entire episode without spoiling it. But all things considered “Down,” like the previous episodes of “Into the Dark” is a very good, albeit flawed, experience that’ll get the fans talking, guaranteed.
Premiering February 1st Exclusively on Hulu.