In Tenebras: Into the Darkness (2024) Review: Great Tunnels, Thin Scares

This In Tenebras: Into the Darkness review starts with the film's best asset: a real, atmospheric location. Writer-director Martin Nuza sends two brothers into the WWII tunnels of Gibraltar, and the setting does much of the heavy lifting. The result is a 90-minute action horror that has atmosphere to spare but a shaky grip on its story.

It is a small British production, and it feels like one. Whether that matters depends on what you want from a late-night creature-and-tunnel thriller.

In Tenebras: Into the Darkness Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The plot is simple. Two brothers, Josh and Chelsie Frazier's family circle among them, set out on what they think will be the adventure of a lifetime. Armed with a map left by their grandfather, they head deep into the old wartime tunnels beneath Gibraltar to hunt for a lost treasure.

The tagline promises that "down here, they're not alone," and the film wastes little time hinting that the tunnels hold more than rock and dust. Before long, the trip turns into a question of survival. Meanwhile, an elite military force is alerted to carry out a search and rescue for the missing siblings.

That split between the lost explorers and the soldiers hunting for them is the film's basic structure. It is a decent hook for a horror story, even if the execution is uneven.

What Works in In Tenebras: Into the Darkness

The location is the star. Gibraltar's tunnel network gives the film a genuine sense of oppressive claustrophobia, and reviewers keep returning to that point. The cinematography makes good use of narrow passages, damp walls and pools of darkness.

A few strengths stand out:

• Authentic setting: Real tunnels feel more threatening than a studio set ever could.

• Atmosphere: The sense of being buried and cut off is established early.

• Premise: A family map, a hidden treasure and something lurking below is a reliable recipe.

Fans of action movie reviews who enjoy survival setups will find the basic engine easy to follow, at least in the opening stretch.

In Tenebras: Into the Darkness Cast and Performances

The In Tenebras: Into the Darkness cast is led by genre veterans. Michael Paré plays Captain Shaw and Costas Mandylor plays Major Cummings, the two military figures at the heart of the rescue effort. Both bring familiar screen presence to a modest production.

Johan Wickholm plays Josh Frazier and Rebecca Davis plays Chelsie Frazier. Orlando Charvetto appears as Dimitirius Ortega Military, and director Martin Nuza also pops up as the WWII MIB.

The cast does what it can with the material. The experienced names give the soldier scenes some authority, but the dialogue rarely gives anyone room for a standout moment.

Where In Tenebras: Into the Darkness Stumbles

The biggest complaint is sound. Several viewers describe the audio as poor, and in a film set mostly in dark, echoing tunnels, muddy dialogue and weak sound design hurt tension badly. Scares depend on what we hear as much as what we see.

The story is the other weak spot. Critics and audiences say it is hard to follow, and the film never quite turns its promising setup into a clear, building threat. One reviewer argues it had great potential but did not realise it, and that feels fair.

Audience scores are low: IMDb sits around 2.4 out of 10, and Prime Video shows 2.9 out of 5 from a small number of ratings. A few reviewers are kinder, calling it an enjoyable first step in a possible trilogy, but that is the minority view.

Is In Tenebras: Into the Darkness Worth Watching?

It is worth watching only if you are a fan of low-budget tunnel horror or curious about Gibraltar's wartime history as a film backdrop. The location work is genuinely strong, and Paré and Mandylor add some genre pedigree. But the muddled story and weak audio keep it from delivering the chills the premise suggests.

The film was released on 1 October 2024 according to our records, though some platforms list 2025 for digital availability. If you want similar small-scale fare, see our take on Sniper Elite: Nano Crisis. Director Martin Nuza has a good eye for place, and that alone makes this an interesting, if flawed, calling card.

For more background, you can check the IMDb-style listings on Rotten Tomatoes.

Who Will Enjoy In Tenebras: Into the Darkness

• Viewers who love claustrophobic, underground settings and real locations

• Fans of Michael Paré and Costas Mandylor in low-budget action horror

• Patient genre completists who can forgive rough sound and a loose script