It's smart, clever, and very scary, and it doesn't bother with any of the lazy, cynical stuff associated with the horror genre today. This simple but effective horror movie seems to do everything exactly right. That occurrence of suicide, infrequent swearing (mostly the 's word'), non-traditional relationships, kissing, hinted at sexual activity, and fairly limited gore (quick visuals of disfigured corpses) are the mature instances to keep in mind with this movie. Spoiler alert: suicide is not only present but acts as the climax to the main story of the film when a woman is shown brandishing a gun before turning it on herself and discharging it while it is against the side of her head, however no gory visuals are present and the lack of lighting conceals details in the scene. It acts as one of the few character development points for said characters indicating the woman's avoidance of a committed relationship. A premarital relationship is a major component of two of the main characters' situation which is pushed on the viewer in a fairly drawn out scene about the woman not allowing the man to stay at her residence for the evening after an implied sexual encounter. Be aware that some complex topics are intertwined with the story such as mental health, abandonment, estranged family member situations, and suicide. The character development rises just above completely flat, and very little can be said of cinematography beyond utilizing lighting as a plot device. That story, coupled with the jumpscares, keeps the movie above monotonous drivel. A semi-complex backstory is revealed, but explained thoroughly, so most children of at least twelve or thirteen should be able to follow.

Lights Out relies mostly on jumpscares to frighten but is held together by a clear and cohesive story.

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