Darklight (2004)

Darklight has the pulpy, late-night-TV thrill of a comic book come to life: secret societies, ancient mythology, and science-gone-wrong all colliding in a brisk, unapologetically genre-forward ride. Shiri Appleby gives the story its hook, playing Lilith/Elle with a mix of vulnerability and simmering power that makes her more than just a creature feature accessory, while Richard Burgi brings a worn, driven intensity to the man tasked with turning a living weapon back on. Director Bill Platt keeps the vibe lean and grimy—part supernatural action, part monster-movie panic—with enough occult intrigue to keep you leaning in between bursts of R-rated horror violence. It’s not for viewers craving prestige polish or subtlety, but if you want a scrappy, myth-and-mayhem TV movie that swings hard and commits to its dark fantasy mood, this one’s an easy yes.

Darklight is clearly trying to mash biblical myth, secret-society paranoia, and monster-movie action into a pulpy TV-friendly package, with Shiri Appleby carrying the “amnesiac demoness” hook as best she can. The problem is the execution: the story lurches through exposition and clichés, and the creature/CGI work looks dated even by early-2000s standards, which drains tension from what’s meant to be a nasty, plague-spreading threat. If you’re coming for slick sci-fi fantasy or genuinely scary horror, this will feel cheap and oddly flat, despite the R-rated violence. It’s best suited for viewers who enjoy low-budget supernatural B-movies, or Appleby completists who can forgive rough effects and a shaky script for the occasional bit of campy fun.