When executed effectively, found-footage horror films have the potential to deliver heightened levels of suspense. I especially prefer low-budget independent features, as they allow me to tap into my own fears without needing elaborate special effects. If you agree, add Primal Darkness to your must-see scary movies list.

Initially created as a promotional segment for his TV hunter series, “Primal Instinct”, Cole Harrington (a skillfully performed role from Dillon Brown) provides an early look into the upcoming second season of his popular program. He aims to further his global pursuits in wildlife hunting, adhering to the standards upheld by professional hunters. Always by the book, always in an upstanding manner.

Hunting is not a hobby. It’s a way of life; the script to his story and he describes the primal impulse deep within. After Cole disappears and his recorded footage is discovered days later in his deserted truck, we follow his trek across the Big Smokey Valley in Central Nevada, hoping to locate him by piecing together the story from what he filmed.

Cole appears discouraged at the start of the video, struggling to demonstrate any concrete outcomes from a successful hunt.  His anxiety is evident in his expression, reflecting the weight of uncertainty that surrounds him as he deals with both a divorce and a possible custody dispute. He is tired, defeated but not done. As he shares concerns for his own mortality, Cole reminisces about meeting a hippie several years back who suggested making a connection to the earth through balance. Be willing to give back the blood you spill. Always replace what you take.

Local reports indicate the presence of a mountain lion exhibiting aggressive predatory behavior, resulting in significant cattle losses on a rancher’s property. Hoping to obtain substantial evidence to provide to his editor, Cole concentrates on this new path for “Primal Instinct” and ventures deeper into the rocky terrain.

As he progresses upwards, the discovery of a dead cell phone initiates a recent news story regarding two missing anthropologists, Hannah and Micah. Now, we take yet another trail once the phone is found in Cole’s vehicle, charged and shared with us - the loyal and attentive audience. And this reveals a brand-new perspective of true fright.

Hannah and Micah are faculty members whose association may be subject to university investigation due to potential violations of institutional policy regarding personal relationships. They anticipate that their independent investigation of the remote area near Reno will divert their employer’s attention from their undisclosed romance and direct it toward the results of their research.

As they review the conclusive results from their expedition, the recorded video exhibits intermittent glitches, noticeable graininess, and inconsistencies in both color and audio quality. There was nothing that would typically raise suspicion for anyone viewing this, even after an isolated journey through the elevated peaks.

The sense of impending dread present during Hannah and Micah’s overnight stay evokes an atmosphere similar to that found in The Blair Witch Project. The sounds of chirping, growling, and other animal noises heightened Hannah's apprehension, causing her breathing to accelerate just prior to her being snatched from the camping tent. What we can't see is often more frightening than the monster itself. Thus is the terror that awaits us, bouncing back to the point of view of Cole’s intention to now locate this missing couple.

Once Cole discovers a desert-like shrine displaying both animal and human skulls and remains, the terrifying tones ramp up to a most foreboding end to this mystery in the mines of mountain seclusion. With elements borrowed from Barbarian and Bone Tomahawk, Director/Writer and star Dillon Brown has compiled an inescapable atmosphere of evil. Throughout the narrative, viewers will remain invested in Cole’s fate, despite the fact that the resolution is established from the outset of the film. Perhaps if we earnestly hope for his safe return, the storyline might surprisingly shift in our favor, bringing us comfort.

Maybe?
Possibly?
It could happen, right?