Cold and Dark - The Memorable TV DVD Review

DS John Dark and his partner DCI Mortimer Shade are tough cops investigating an illegal immigration racket trying to bring down a slippery criminal called Ernie Stein. Shade is trapped in a freezer warehouse and seems to be dead - but actually he's OK after some blood from a corpse drips into his mouth.

But Shade IS dead and has been infected with a worm like parasite called a Grail that reanimates corpses to provide a means of attacking victims and drinking their blood for sustenance. Dark is aware of his partner's transformation but tolerates it because he is only killing low-lifes and extracting useful information as he terrorises them.

But when Shade's appetite becomes stronger Dark realises he must be stopped.

For the first 40 minutes you wouldn't even be aware that it's anything other than an attempt at a hard, posturing, cop/gangster thriller with a pair of unorthodox cops who aren't averse to a bit of roughing up of their suspects. Even when the "horror" element incontrovertibly kicks in it only improves marginally because at least then it's something a bit different. But the whole thing is just too unfocused, undisciplined and confusing to ever be believable or enthralling.

A piece of stunt-casting sees funny-man Matt (Little Britain) Lucas in a serious role as a "Grail" expert - although it is really hard to take him seriously and he doesn't fit into the acting tone of the movie at all well - every one around him is gloomy and intense and he's bright and sunny.

Overall a poor effort which, with a more-focussed script, could have been a lot better.

ANY SPECIAL FEATURES?

extras unpreviewed.