Written by Stuart D. Monroe. This February, Clara Aranovich’s Tentacles marks the first holiday horror feature-segment since July’s politically paranoid The Current Occupant. She joins Into the Dark: Tentacles as Sam’s (Casey Deidrick) best friend. If you’ve enjoyed the other Into the Dark episodes, though, you’ll appreciate this creepy installment. A lot of the ridiculous aspects of Sam and Tara’s relationship, especially the speed at which it develops, are part of the point. This is no ordinary love story. She’s not believable in scenes where she’s angry or tense, instead acting out a caricature of these emotions. While the moment is used to build up to the violence that ensues, it’s not something that needs to be seen explicitly on screen. In addition to our sincere thanks, you can browse AIPT ad-free, gain access to our vibrant Discord community of patrons and staff members, get trade paperbacks sent to your house every month, and a lot more. Their romance takes off quickly. There’s also a memorable, and pretty ridiculous, time-lapse sex scene. It’s not abundantly clear what’s going on in the beginning of TENTACLES, except that it vaguely reminds me of Se7en and that apartment Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow’s characters lived in that shook whenever the trains went by. Tentacles Season 2, Tentacles ... View All Into The Dark News . A couple falls head-over-heels into a new romance and entwine their lives--until their intimacy transforms into something terrifying. Having a female antagonist is something of a nice reversal of common, 'Into the Dark: Tentacles' Review: Not a love story, Duffer Bros. and Spielberg to turn Stephen King's 'The Talisman' into Netflix series, ‘WandaVision’ episode 9 review: 'The Series Finale', Apple TV+ spring 2021 family programming includes 'Peanuts' special and more, 'Power Rangers Dino Fury' episode 3 preview clip, 'Resident Alien' episode 6 review: Harry's replacement arrives, 'Superman & Lois' episode 2 review: Visiting the Fortress of Solitude, CW renews 'Superman & Lois' for second season after one episode. 00:25:12 - Tonight, we review INTO THE DARK: TENTACLES (2021, HULU). Horror anthology series are common these days, but what sets Hulu's Into the Dark apart is its monthly holiday-themed installments; the latest one is Into the Dark: Tentacles and here's its ending explained. Sam’s a photographer, and he seems a little quick to anger. Promising a psycho-sexual thriller, Tentacles begins with a dreamy sequence of our main character, Tara, visiting open houses — they’re a great place for her to take a nap. But it’s blown out of all proportion by a runtime as elongated as the slithering appendages of its title; at 90 minutes it feels both damagingly rushed and at least an hour too long. Learn how your comment data is processed. TENTACLES is the Valentine’s Day episode of the Hulu horror anthology Into the Dark. Throughout the film, Tara is violating Sam. Sometimes it can make us think the darnedest things about a partner, glossing over red flags, and forgiving the most egregious of sins because, well, horniness. … Sam seems unstable; he drinks a lot during the day time, and he’s volatile. The ridiculous elements work in Tentacles’ favor: Dana Drori’s performance as Tara is often exaggerated. Tara’s motivation, quite simply, is that she is a monster in the literal sense. Into the Dark is an American horror anthology streaming television series produced for Hulu.The first season premiered on October 5, 2018, and consists of twelve feature-length episodes. The expected horror elements, when they arrive, feel perfunctory at best and silly at worst, and even if they were better the fate of either lead character hardly seems worth bothering about. It’s effective as horror; the body horror element of Tentacles is excellent (but don’t call it “Lovecraftian” just because there are tentacles involved, please). It has the Valentine’s Day themes spot on, but Into the Dark: Tentacles can’t build the characterization or suspense to match. The few moments are sweet and hint at an affection that’s missing in Sam and Tara’s romance. Tentacles’ story is that of Sam (Casey Deidrick) and Tara and their whirlwind romance. This website cannot be displayed as your browser is extremely out of date. You might feel like you know where this relationship is heading, but, There’s a degree of camp present in some of the, Sam’s best friend and business partner, Esther (Kasey Elise) is the moral compass and voice of reason of, Throughout the film, Tara is violating Sam. Half a bottle of booze later and they haven’t just done the no-pants dance but he has inexplicably moved her into his inherited family estate so that she can spruce the place up while he works. Premiered on Hulu. Sam seems unstable; he drinks a lot during the day time, and he’s volatile. Consider supporting us and independent comics journalism by becoming a patron today! Books Read our full Into the Dark: Tentacles episode review here! You can find specific show content by clicking the menu system at the top of t All rights reserved. After a pandemic-forced hiatus, Blumhouse and Hulu’s Into The Dark series returns and, to quote Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale, “I miss the misery.” This February, Clara Aranovich’s Tentacles marks the first holiday horror feature-segment since July’s politically paranoid The Current Occupant. Site by FireCask. While her performance may seem on the lackluster side here, it actually really works when we find out the truth about her character. Unlikeable main characters: works for Sam, not so much for Tara. But any commentary on transactional relationships that the film is hoping to make quickly gets lost in the murky Lovecraftian depths it descends into. As a psychological/psycho-sexual thriller, though, there’s an element of human connection that works well in similar films (think Spring) that’s missing here. The payoff for wading through it all is hardly worth the effort. JOE. Into the Dark was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 4, 2019, and also consists of twelve episodes.. Into the Dark tends either find just the right amount of weird, or cross the line into something truly bizarre.“Tentacles” would qualify as the latter. Into the Dark - Season 2, Episode 11: “Tentacles” TV Episode Review. Horror anthology expert Matt Donato will be tackling the series one-by-one, stacking up the entries as they become streamable.) Hulu and Blumhouse Television set their next installment of “Into the Dark”: “Tentacles,” anchored to Valentine’s Day, to premiere Feb. 12, Variety has learned exclusi… Like what we do here at AIPT? Warning! Sự ham muốn có thể khiến chúng ta tin rằng chúng ta đang yêu. A whirlwind romance ensues, against the better judgment of both the audience and Sam’s friend Esther (Kasey Elise), and then the obligatory oddities begin. Sam and Tara’s relationship is absolutely full of red flags. Casey Deidrick's performance - you really start to feel for the guy. Review (Đánh giá) Into The Dark: Tentacles: Mang đến một câu chuyện Ngày lễ tình nhân đầy dục vọng, sự ngờ vực và lao vào cuộc tình lãng mạn. Copyright © 2020 Ready Steady Cut. Comic Books Doc Rotten from Horror News Radio. This isn’t a film about a woman taking back her power or seeking revenge against the men who’ve wronged her; there’s really no legitimate reason for this to be part of Tara’s story – it changes absolutely nothing about her character arc. Tara’s just moved to LA, “from somewhere East of here”, and she startles easily. There is a really fascinating film that blends horror and romantic drama subjects into a unique, complete vision over on Shudder in “After Midnight.”Over on Hulu, there's "Into the Dark: Tentacles," a less successful film that tries to do something similar for your Valentine's Day pleasure but never comes together in this return of the once-monthly series of holiday-themed horror flicks. It’s Been 84 Years: Please Remind Me What Into the Dark Is … And… INTO THE DARK: TENTACLES. Or someone. [Review] 'Into the Dark: Tentacles' Wraps Us in a New Perspective on Relationship Horror. The decision to include a brief moment of sexual violence is completely unnecessary and does not add anything at all to the story. It begins with a meet-cute, of a kind, with photographer Sam (Casey Deidrick) meeting cash-flush but suspiciously homeless Tara (Dana Drori) at an open house. Tentacles is an attempt at blending campy horror with a thriller. Starring Dana Drori and Casey Deidrick, the episode is about a couple that fall in love, only to see their relationship take a terrifying turn. Check out the NEW Trailer and Key Art for Into the Dark’s February episode, TENTACLES. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. With Aurora Perrineau, Diane Sellers, Dylan Arnold, Katie Wilson. Stream It or Skip It: New Movies and TV Shows, Reviews and Recommendations ... Tentacles was an upper-echelon Into the Dark entry, nicely acted and directed with a bit of panache. With Dana Drori, Casey Deidrick, Evan Williams, Kasey Elise. Into The Dark offers a tentacular Valentine’s Day tale of lust, mistrust, and rushing into romantic entanglement, written by Channel Zero scribe Alexandra Pechman with a co-story credit to Channel Zero and beyond’s Nick Antosca . 'Tentacles' is about a romance that starts off with plenty of red flags, and ends up a total nightmare. A horror anthology series with each episode inspired by a holiday. And the anthology’s latest tale, Clara Aranovich’s Tentacles, penned by Alexendra Pechman and Nick Antosca, feels about right for Valentine’s Day in the same way that The Current Occupant felt right in a climate of turbulent American politics. Why Tara From Into The Dark: Tentacles Looks So Familiar Michael Tran/Getty Images By Tom Meisfjord / Feb. 10, 2021 3:55 pm EST / Updated: Feb. 10, 2021 3:56 pm EST Exclusive previews, reviews, and the latest news every week, delivered to your inbox. All rights reserved. However, it is a romance of sorts … The Story. By: Kayla Caldwell Tara (Dana Drori) is running from something. Television. Blumhouse and Hulu have revived their holiday horror anthology series, Into The Dark… 2.11 “Tentacles”: A couple falls head-over-heels into a new romance and entwine their lives–until their intimacy transforms into something terrifying. After a … You’ll never guess! Having a female antagonist is something of a nice reversal of common horror tropes, but this reversal is ultimately diminished once we learn the truth of what Tara’s character is. If you've enjoyed the other Into the Dark episodes, though, you'll appreciate this creepy installment. Use of sexual violence/assault without any real reason. Into the Dark Review: Tentacles (Season 2 Episode 11) February 20, 2021 February 21, 2021 Drew Koenig Reviews There’s a general rule of thumb with psychosexual horrors, which is that you’ll be either be into it or you just won’t. It’s also not really a Valentine’s Day tale. Tara is being stalked by a vengeful, dangerous ex, and Sam’s health is rapidly deteriorating for mysterious reasons. Đôi khi nó có thể khiến chúng ta nghĩ về những điều … Each episode of Into the Dark follows a theme around the month it airs in, typically focusing on a holiday, and who doesn’t love Valentine’s Day horror? You never get the sense that it might all work out, but at the same time, you never care about precisely how it’s all going to go wrong. To be completely Well, the series is back now, and so we present our Tentacles review. If you enjoy horror stories with supernatural elements including lots of body horror, then this one should work fo Hulu and Blumhouse’s holiday anthology series “Into the Dark” returns just in time for Valentine’s Day with Tentacles, offering up heart-shaped candy on February 12th. A few months or maybe even years go by. Please update your browser to one of the following: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Into the Dark: Tentacles review – a romantic entanglement in more ways than one, felt right in a climate of turbulent American politics. Fitting! “Tentacles” (Episode 23) ... Like a lot of Into the Dark, it pulls its punches, ending up more of an interesting miss than it should have been. When a character in a film called Tentacles mentions living underwater, it doesn’t elicit dread so much as a chuckle at the obviousness of it all. Into the Dark hasn’t had a new episode come out since July 2020’s The Current Occupant, but the Blumhouse anthology series is back with Tentacles for 2021’s Valentine’s Day installment. While 'Tentacles' may be one of the better episodes of Into the Dark, there are some issues holding it back from being a truly great or memorable horror story. Hulu’s popular series ‘Into the Dark’ is set to make it’s return to the streaming service with it’s latest installment ‘Tentacles’, which is set to officially premier on February 12th, just in time for Valentines’ day.. Tentacles is not a love story gone awry, like it promises to be. This review of Hulu’s Into the Dark: Tentacles (Episode 11 of Season 2) contains no spoilers. We bring you a comprehensive and up to date spoiler service on all the major US TV shows and Movies. After an extended hiatus mandated by the pandemic, Hulu’s Into the Dark is back right on schedule for the most romantic time of year. There’s a degree of camp present in some of the Into the Dark episodes, and it works best in the horror episodes (A Nasty Piece of Work, Pilgrim). Filmed under pandemic restrictions, Into the Dark: Tentacles nonetheless has problems that could have been solved within a socially-distanced production. TENTACLES is the Valentine’s Day episode of INTO THE DARK which is, of course, the Hulu horror anthology that began in 2018. The gore in Tentacles is minimal, but what there is sure is gross. ... review 5:48 p.m. Directed by Clara Aranovich Written by Nick Antosca and Alexandra Pechman 2020, 90 minutes, Not Rated Premiered on February 12th, 2021. I wasn’t sure if we had seen the last of Into The Dark, but thankfully July 2020’s The Current Occupant – arguably one of the franchise’s worst entries – isn’t the end of the road. The way this is portrayed is more insidious and more effective than the aforementioned moment of sexual violence. Tara startles easily – she explains that she’s been trying to get away from a stalker. While Tentacles may be one of the better episodes of Into the Dark, there are issues holding it back from being a truly great or memorable horror story. Spoilers for Into the Dark: Tentacles below. INTO THE DARK: TENTACLES l Courtesy of Blumhouse and Hulu. This episode had a few slow moments along the way but really picks up at the end. We were chugging along well with Hulu’s Into the Dark series last year. Lust can make us believe we are in love. The way this is portrayed is more insidious and more effective than the aforementioned moment of sexual violence. A deeper look at this platonic love between Sam and Esther would make the blows that are dealt at the end of the film heavier; instead, Esther’s story line lacks any real emotional weight. As the world has learned to cope with the crippling anxieties and confusing comforts brought on by nearly a year of quarantining and distancing, the fear of isolation has brought on all new meanings to the horror genre. Directed by Clara Aranovich. Sam and Tara’s relationship is absolutely full of red flags. Then, of course, came the you-know-what and with it, TV and movie shutdowns. Tara startles easily – she explains that she’s been trying to get away from a stalker. He can’t consent to what is happening because he doesn’t know what is happening. If it were shorter and more concerned with its central relationship rather than teeing up rote horrors, there’s probably the kernel of a solid seasonal idea here. This review of Hulu’s Into the Dark: Tentacles (Episode 11 of Season 2) contains no spoilers. Sam and Tara’s relationship never takes, seeming to occur on fast-forward, and leaning against sexuality that isn’t particularly sexy. Join the Newsletter! Sam’s best friend and business partner, Esther (Kasey Elise) is the moral compass and voice of reason of Tentacles. While we do have some moments between Sam and Esther that show their genuine bond, more time should have been spent establishing and showing this relationship. He can’t consent to what is happening because he doesn’t know what is happening. *Trigger/slight spoiler warning for the rest of this review!*. As the tension of the film reaches a boiling point, there’s a particularly nasty moment Sam has in his car that’s the kind of thing people will remember about this film. (Blumhouse Television and Hulu have partnered for a monthly horror anthology series titled Into The Dark, set to release a full holiday-themed feature every month. She has been seen in television shows like Big Time Rush, Boomerang Kids and last year in All American . You will, though. © 2011 - 2021 AIPT, LLC. We don’t really have any reason or motivation for Tara’s actions until the reveal at the end of the film, when everything we’ve been led to believe about her proves untrue. ‘Spooky Archeology’ uncovers Atlantis, fairies, mummies, and more, X-Men Monday #97 – Simon Spurrier Answers Your Way of X Questions, ‘King in Black: Wiccan and Hulkling’ #1 is a delightful romance story. The series manages to find the dark and twisted elements of any holiday on the calendar and turn that message into a horror movie. ‘Into the Dark: Tentacles’ Review: Not a love story. It’s also, disappointingly but hardly surprisingly, not very good. We’re supposed to be seeing the consequences of unchecked lust, watching as a smitten guy rapidly loses himself in one bad decision after another. News After a pandemic-forced hiatus, Blumhouse and Hulu’s Into The Dark series returns and, to quote Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale, “I miss the misery.” This February, Clara Aranovich’s Tentacles marks the first holiday horror feature-segment since July’s politically paranoid The Current Occupant. Well here we are, Terry. Click the button below to get started! Star Wars ... Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! 2/9/2021 0 Comments Everyone has that one friend who can’t not be in a relationship.....They meet someone, fall for them hard, and play house for a while. It’s about instant attraction, insatiable lust, and ultimately being consumed by your partner in disgusting and violent ways. Fans of 'Into the Dark' will appreciate this long awaited Valentine's Day installment. You might feel like you know where this relationship is heading, but Tentacles does an excellent job building up the mystery of what exactly is wrong with this couple. This episode had a lot of good elements but also a few slower moments where I wanted it to pick up. The newest addition to Blumhouse and Hulu‘s Into The Dark series, Tentacles is a psychosexual thriller sure to twist at the mind of horror lovers everywhere this Valentine’s Day. Jeff Mohr from Decades of Horror: The Classic Era. She wanders through aimlessly until she meets Sam (Casey Deidrick) and strikes up a conversation.