Lights Out brought a bit of tenderness into a genre otherwise entrenched in hypermasculine cliches and subplots. Themes of PTSD, familial love and police corruption are worked through the movie in a way that is organic, if a bit undercooked in some areas but I can appreciate where it was intended to land and did so enough to enjoy the characters. Scott Atkins and Jaime King and other secondary characters bring some complexity to the character line up that fills in the at times one dimensional Frank Grillo as Duffy.

The director Christian Sesma brings a humanist touch to the genre and consistently makes the overall delivery of the film enjoyable and fun. The exposition could be made clearer through more purposeful dialogue, it was unclear if Peoples' character was the wife or sister in some places. The drone shots and overall cinematography are great and atmospheric, they make LA look dynamic, fresh and real. A solid and enjoyable watch for those who love the genre and looking for a small twist on larger tropes.