Movie Review: 'The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon'

The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon is a strange little low-budget sci-fi horror movie that has no business being as fun as it is. This American-Serbian production from director Dejan Zecevic is well paced, fun and quite creepy. Movies like The Rift are a nice reminder that low-budget sci-fi horror is still being made and can still be quite fun despite our pop cultural prejudice in favor of big budgets, big studios and big movie stars.

The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon stars Katrina Kas as Liz, an American sleeper agent in Belgrade. Liz has been inactive for two years following the death of her son when she is asked to return to the field. The agency, the CIA, has asked Liz to accompany Agent Smith (Ken Foree) to the site of a crashed American satellite outside a small village in Serbia. Joining the mission are a Serbian secret agent named Darko (Dragan Micanovic) and an American scientist and former Astronaut named Dysart (Monte Markham).

Once the team arrives at what they are told is the location of the satellite they find themselves being shot at. A local family has apparently discovered the satellite and is holding it. Darko is shot and thought dead attempting to enter the family’s tiny farm house but things are not all that they appear. There is a young boy who appears on the verge of death, you might call him zombie-like. His parents are eventually shot by Liz and Agent Smith in self-defense but are they really dead?

Most importantly, where is the satellite and why is there a man in a full spacesuit in the family basement? The answer, I promise you, is so much fun, but, I will leave you to discover that by seeing The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon for yourself.

The biggest takeaway from The Rift Dark Side of the Moon is just how unexpected it is. Nothing about the production screams must see and yet when I gave the movie a chance I was surprised to find it so engaging. Director Dejan Zecevic is a veteran of Serbian television with more than 20 credits. The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon marks his first English language work and he proves himself quite adept.

The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon is by no description, no matter how lenient, a great movie but for a low budget, horror-sci-fi flick it’s more entertaining than you imagine. There are some genuinely creepy moments in the movie, many based on classic zombie movie tropes but nevertheless, this is pro level direction for a B-level picture.

Ken Foree a veteran of not one but two Dawn of the Dead movies is a terrific presence in The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon. Foree sets the perfect camp tone for his 'Agent Smith' and when things start getting creepy and violent, Foree is the man for the job, cutting off heads with great relish. Foree elevates every moment of The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon to a glorious level of irresistible camp that still manages to be genuinely creepy.

The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon has plenty of camp appeal in its low budget production but if you are someone who enjoys B-Movie horror with solid gore and a fun cast, you might just have a genuinely good time watching The Rift Dark Side of the Moon. It’s a crafty B-Movie that delivers a few solid scares and would be a perfect choice for a late night sleepover with friends looking for a few creepy jump scares and a story that isn’t overly familiar. Oh, and Captain Thorpe from Baywatch as an Astronaut is a lovely cherry on top of the camp sundae that is The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon.

The Rift: Dark Side of the Moon is available on DVD, Blu-Ray and Streaming services on December 12th