Against the Dark
Encyclopedia
Against the Dark is a 2009 American action and horror film
starring Steven Seagal
and directed by Richard Crudo.
In a post-apocalyptic world, destroyed by a disease, which may or may not turn people into some kind of vampire
s or zombie
s, Seagal plays Tao, the leader of a squad of ex-military vigilante
s who are attempting to find and rescue a group of survivors trapped in a hospital. This is Steven Seagal's first horror film
.
The film was released direct-to-video on February 10, 2009 and was Seagal's first release of 2009.
disease has overwhelmed humanity, turning nearly everyone into blood-thirsty zombies. According to the narrator, there is no known cure and very few survivors left fighting "Against the Dark". The first few scenes are used to establish the main characters, with Seagal playing a tough guy in charge of a group of zombie-hunters.
The survivors in the hospital are shown to be scared, isolated and untrusting. As the characters work their way through the hospital, they drift apart numerous times, often getting lost and attacked. (During one attack, the Wilhelm scream
is heard briefly after Tao throws a zombie out of a window). To make matters worse for the survivors, a massive army base is planning to sterilize the area at dawn.
The survivors explain that there is only one functioning exit from the hospital (even though there seem to be numerous entrances through which they entered) and they have to get to this exit before the emergency power runs out and they are shut inside. To make matters worse many of the stairways and elevators are blocked off, forcing them to make their way level by level, finding a way to the next one down to gain the exit.
Meanwhile, Cross (Linden Ashby
) tries to prevent Lt. Waters (Keith David
) from unleashing a bombing raid on the hospital.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
starring Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
and directed by Richard Crudo.
In a post-apocalyptic world, destroyed by a disease, which may or may not turn people into some kind of vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s or zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
s, Seagal plays Tao, the leader of a squad of ex-military vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s who are attempting to find and rescue a group of survivors trapped in a hospital. This is Steven Seagal's first horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
.
The film was released direct-to-video on February 10, 2009 and was Seagal's first release of 2009.
Plot
The film begins by revealing that an epidemicEpidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
disease has overwhelmed humanity, turning nearly everyone into blood-thirsty zombies. According to the narrator, there is no known cure and very few survivors left fighting "Against the Dark". The first few scenes are used to establish the main characters, with Seagal playing a tough guy in charge of a group of zombie-hunters.
The survivors in the hospital are shown to be scared, isolated and untrusting. As the characters work their way through the hospital, they drift apart numerous times, often getting lost and attacked. (During one attack, the Wilhelm scream
Wilhelm scream
The Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The effect gained new popularity after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games...
is heard briefly after Tao throws a zombie out of a window). To make matters worse for the survivors, a massive army base is planning to sterilize the area at dawn.
The survivors explain that there is only one functioning exit from the hospital (even though there seem to be numerous entrances through which they entered) and they have to get to this exit before the emergency power runs out and they are shut inside. To make matters worse many of the stairways and elevators are blocked off, forcing them to make their way level by level, finding a way to the next one down to gain the exit.
Meanwhile, Cross (Linden Ashby
Linden Ashby
Clarence Linden Garnett Ashby III , best known as Linden Ashby, is an American actor and martial artist.-Early life:...
) tries to prevent Lt. Waters (Keith David
Keith David
Keith David Williams , better known as Keith David, is an American film, television, voice actor, and singer. He is perhaps most known for his live-action roles in such films as Crash, There's Something About Mary, Barbershop and Men at Work...
) from unleashing a bombing raid on the hospital.
Cast
- Steven SeagalSteven SeagalSteven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
as Tao - Tanoai ReedTanoai ReedTanoai Reed is a Hollywood stunt man.Reed was born in Honolulu, Hawaii of Samoan and Norwegian descent. He is the cousin and stand-in double of pro wrestler turned actor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson....
as Tagart - Jenna Harrison as Dorothy
- Danny Midwinter as Morgan
- Emma Catherwood as Amelia
- Stephen Hagan as Ricky
- Daniel Percival as Dylan
- Skye BennettSkye BennettSkye Deva Bennett is an English teen actress, best known for her role as Sarah in the 2008 film Dark Floors, as well as for her role as Martha in The Pillars of the Earth.-Personal life:...
as Charlotte - Linden AshbyLinden AshbyClarence Linden Garnett Ashby III , best known as Linden Ashby, is an American actor and martial artist.-Early life:...
as Cross - Keith DavidKeith DavidKeith David Williams , better known as Keith David, is an American film, television, voice actor, and singer. He is perhaps most known for his live-action roles in such films as Crash, There's Something About Mary, Barbershop and Men at Work...
as Lt. Waters