After Dark: A train ride that moves a bit too slowly

Is this worth your time?

If you're the type who finds comfort in grainy 1930s British crime dramas where everyone speaks in clipped, polite sentences while disaster unfolds, you'll probably enjoy After Dark. It’s got that specific, cozy kind of tension. If you need pacing, modern thrills, or a plot that doesn't feel like it’s being held together by stage directions, stay far away. You will likely be bored to tears within fifteen minutes.

The whole thing kicks off on a boat, which is a classic trope for a reason. Richard Morton meets a girl and her uncle, and suddenly the emeralds are gone. Typical, right? The train sequences are where the movie tries to get moody, but honestly, it feels a bit claustrophobic. It’s not in a good way, either.

The uncle character is clearly meant to be the villain. I mean, look at him. Every time he’s on screen, the movie basically screams, "He did it!" It lacks any real mystery because the suspicion feels so forced. It’s like watching a kid try to hide a cookie behind their back while they're still chewing.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of After Dark (1932) through its definitive frames.

I found myself zoning out during the dialogue. There’s a lot of talking. So much talking. Sometimes it feels like they’re just waiting for the clock to run out. It reminds me a bit of the pacing issues in Nène, where the atmosphere does all the heavy lifting because the plot is just kind of… there.

Odd little things I noticed:

• The lighting in the train carriage is weirdly bright, like they’re having a tea party instead of solving a jewel theft.
• The uncle’s eyebrows deserve their own credit in the film. Seriously.
• There’s a specific shadow on the wall during the third act that doesn't match where the characters are standing. It’s distracting!

Is it a disaster? No. It’s just a very small, very quiet movie that doesn't really know how to build a fire under its own feet. It’s nowhere near as kinetic as Taxi. It’s just a dusty relic. Still, for a rainy Tuesday night when you don't want to think too hard, it’s not the worst way to burn an hour.

I did like the way the actors carried themselves, though. Even if the script was thin, they acted like they were in a Shakespearean epic. It gave the whole thing a weirdly serious weight that it definitely didn't earn. 🚂💎