It’s only May, and we already have the second “Blackout” of 2026. After LeeAnne Bauer and David M. Parks’ release in January, another film of the same name has just come from Shane Aquino.
They may share an identical title, but I’ll tell you now… these are very different movies.
“Blackout” follows a group of people who are each trapped in their own isolated version of reality after a sudden power outage. There, they are confronted by mysterious figures and led to a place where a final irreversible choice must be made.
The “mysterious figures” here are known as “The Ushers.” Purposefully distorted vocals give the characters a lo-fi-styled voice — featuring crackles, hisses and a muddied overall sound. With minimal backstory behind the antagonists, this adds an instant layer of intrigue. Why do they sound like this? Where do they come from? These are the questions that you’ll instantly be asking. Unfortunately, however, there is also a downside. The Ushers are similar to Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises;” it’s challenging to understand them. And here, the movie knows it. This is evident because the subtitles are integrated into the film itself every time these characters speak. While this doesn’t detract from the overall experience, it does beg the question of whether the audio itself could have been restrained some for clarity’s sake.
While subtitles are baked into the letterboxes as The Ushers speak, this isn’t the only time that the black bars are given extra purpose. “Blackout” adds elements of interactivity through pixelated graphics that appear. It’s subtle enough not to grow annoying, giving the movie its own unique quirk.
“Blackout” doesn’t stop there. It proves to have additional tricks up its sleeve, many of which will likely be labeled as “gimmicky,” but they do fit in with the overall tone. One of these had me reconsidering whether a glitch had restarted the movie around the midway point. Even if you aren’t fully engaging with the plot, Aquino injects plenty of creativity to keep it entertaining. Aquino is a man of many talents here, not only serving as writer and director, but also editing the film and creating an original score.
Much of the movie takes place inside mundane settings, but the visuals remain engaging. Amid some overly grainy darkness, light is important in “Blackout,” specifically through the use of televisions, as color is hazily cast over environments.
Even with a short 80-minute runtime, “Blackout” does fizzle out in spurts. With a chaptered format that follows separate stories of two characters, segments of the film open and close with seemingly minimal overlap in between. This will likely leave many viewers wondering what it’s ultimately building toward.
“I am supposed to take you to where you will be given a choice…”
This doesn’t mean that the film’s overall intentions aren’t clear, though. About one-third into the movie, “Blackout” fully unveils its simplistic plot. It’s about decisions — a classic moral dilemma that forces characters to choose between themselves or others. Despite being seemingly void of emotion for large stretches, there is a hint of heart within. And in these moments is where it strikes a relatable chord about priorities.
“Blackout” isn’t focused on giving answers. By the time the credits roll, you don’t really figure out the “why” behind it all. Instead, the film functions more as a character study, placing the audience inside a “what would you do?” scenario.
While the film begins as psychological horror, it becomes more of a drama in its later stages, especially after the initial unease wears off. The tonal shifts don’t prove jarring, however. Instead, this feels like a natural progression for the story within “Blackout.” As the end nears, it becomes more of a reflection on the viewer than anything else.
Funnily enough, Mike Ferguson is in both of 2026’s “Blackout” movies. Here, he stars alongside Riley Ryan (Suzanna). Ferguson (Weston Hall) brings a mixture of goofiness and seriousness. Most of the time, he’s cracking jokes, but that’s not all. There are a number of extended scenes of dialogue where he is able to fully flesh Weston out as an individual. Ryan is a quieter lead. She may not carry as much gravitas as Ferguson, but it’s a subtly effective performance nonetheless for the younger character that she plays. Twana Barnett (Joana Oats), Brian Sienkiewicz (David The Usher), Tiffany Downey (Suzanna The Usher) and Ashley Davidson (June Hall) all appear as well.
I don’t think I have ever seen a film quite like “Blackout,” and I’m not sure I will again. That’s a compliment. Despite some evident flaws, creativity shines through every frame, making for a memorable movie in the process.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
