john cusack

The marketing for “Dark Skies” makes a big deal out of producer Jason Blum’s involvement in the horror hits “Paranormal Activity” and “Insidious.” Emphasizing this makes sense because the three movies share the same structure, which involves placing characters in unsettling situations and slowly intensifying the danger.  The focus in “Dark Skies” is on Daniel and Lacy Barrett (Josh Hamilton and Keri Russell), a financially struggling couple whose problems multiply when strange things begin happening in their home. 

It’s been 30 years since director Ridley Scott made a science-fiction film, so his return to the genre created a lot of excitement. The anticipation was warranted because Scott is a fine craftsman and his early science-fiction efforts, “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” are classics. With “Prometheus,” Scott is back in the “Alien” universe, telling a story that takes place before the events of his original 1979 movie.