Dark Rising
Dark Rising is a sword and sorcery adult-oriented franchise of two made-for-television films, a twelve episode television series and a five-episode television series, from the husband and wife team of Andrew Cymek and Brigitte Kingsley. The franchise is written by creator Cymek, produced by Kingsley and adapted for film and television by executive producer Mihkel Harilaid. The original film in the series, Dark Rising: Bring Your Battle Axe, introduced lead character Summer Vale, played by Kingsley through the entire series of films.
The series continued with the television series Dark Rising: The Savage Tales of Summer Vale, the television film Dark Rising: Summer Strikes Back and the five-episode television series Dark Rising: Warrior of Worlds. The franchise is a joint production of Harilaid's Black Walk Films and Cymek's Defiant Empire Films.
Synopsis
There are two Earths. Our Earth, the one we know and love, and Dark Earth, a world of demons and magic, a dimension created at the height of the Roman Empire in an attempt by a powerful sorcerer to banish demons from this world forever.When Summer Vale was a young girl, her father spent his time deciphering ancient texts and when he read from the Book of Shadows, a portal opened and a group of Agents took his daughter. Summer was experimented on and used by the government to find a way to combine human and demon DNA, trying to find a way to win a secret war waged for thousands of years. The Dark Rising franchise follows the exploits of Vale, a half-Human half-Demon hybrid, and her allies as they battle to save humanity. Their fight takes them all over the world, both on Earth and in the other dimension. Along the way they have made new friends and lost old ones.
Series releases
''Dark Rising'' (2007)
As a desperate attempt to save his fizzled-out relationship, Jason orchestrates a camping trip with the help of his best friends Ricky, a ladies' man who shoots "1-900" commercials for a living; Marlene, a long-time friend and yoga instructor; and Renee, a book worm with a knack for witchcraft.Each with their own agenda, they convince Jasmine to join them for a weekend of fun in the sun. Unknown to the group, Renee has been having reoccurring nightmares of Summer Vale, a little girl that disappeared in town over twenty years ago, and decides to use the getaway to contact her spirit. Also unknown to the boys, Jasmine and Marlene have become a hot item. They join in the fun and humor Renee's interest in magic.
Using the Book of Shadows, which she received from a mysterious bookkeeper, Renee chants a translated phrase from the book, which opens a portal to another dimension. A Kellipoth demon arrives on the scene, killing Marlene and biting Jasmine, but the Book of Shadows also brings back Summer Vale, now a Demon Warrior Princess whose memories are missing. Jason and Summer form an uneasy bond and together they decide to reopen the portal and send the demon back to the Hell dimension.
The Kellipoth bite infects Jasmine and she becomes a member of the Kingdom of Shells, demon-like beings without a soul. Jason kills Jasmine but it is too late to save his best friend, as Ricky also succumbs to the Kellipoth. In the ferocious battle, Summer, Jason, and Renee are able to open the portal. Summer kills Demon-Ricky, the Kellipoth breaks Renee's neck, and Jason and Summer force the Kellipoth back through the portal. Jason makes the heroic sacrifice of entering the portal with the Kellipoth, allowing Summer to remain on Earth.
Reintegrating proves difficult to Summer as she can only find work as a model for "1-900" commercials… but her misery would not last long as Jason, now decked out in Demon hunting garb, returns for her help against an army of Kellipoths. It is then, when the odds are at their most bleak, when the Agency arrives offering Summer and Jason a helping hand.
Featuring
Crew
Reception
Scott Foy of Dread Central rated it 2/5 stars and wrote, "What we have here is a handsome-looking, low budget production with an attractive cast who seem up to the task but everyone’s hard work is scuttled by a script that comedically isn’t anywhere as hip or witty as it thinks it is and plot-wise borders on complete gibberish." David Johnson of DVD Verdict wrote, "Slow parts aside, Dark Rising is big fun, wallowing in the excesses of B-movie." Adam Tyner of DVD Talk rated it 2/5 stars and compared it negatively to Army of Darkness.Nominations
The film was nominated for a record six Canadian Comedy Awards in 2008, in the categories of Best Writing, Best Direction, Best Actress and Best Actor.''Dark Rising: The Savage Tales of Summer Vale'' (2011)
The Savage Tales of Summer Vale is a series of twelve half-hour television episodes. The series follows the continuing exploits of Demon Slayer Summer Vale and her entourage of misfits as they try to save the world each week from imminent destruction.Having grown up in demon dimension and enduring years of underground government training, Summer is finally back home and struggling to adjust to her new surroundings. She is recruited to head a government covert agency that, unknown to her, has its own agenda. Summer meets with a mysterious group calling themselves The Dark Shadows Club. They warn of her upcoming battle with The Dark Lord and how all of existence hangs in the balance, but not everything is what it seems.
Featuring
Crew
''Dark Rising: Summer Strikes Back'' (2011)
Also known as Agency of Vengeance: Dark Rising, the made-for-television film takes place two years after Jason Parks saved Princess Summer Vale from her life hunting Kellipoths in the Demon dimension. A sudden surge of supernatural activity and violent attacks resurface on Earth beyond the normal parameters. The two must once again join together to save the world. The Rising Dark Agency, a black ops division of the Government headed by Colonel Haggerd, suspects that the mystic strikes are the work of Mardock, an evil Demon-God capable of destroying worlds. The entire Agency is on high alert but there's more to the story than they know. With the help of field agent Holly, Jason's new partner Daniel, and half-demon Bulo, Summer and Jason set out to solve the mystery of Mardock and prevent the coming apocalypse. But no one is prepared for whom they find behind the Dark Lord's ascension.Featuring
Crew
''Dark Rising: Warrior of Worlds'' (2014)
The franchise returned in 2014 with a brief five-episode television series. There are two Earths: our Earth, a place where magic and demons are things of folklore and legend, and Dark Earth, a dimension created at the height of the Roman Empire by the sorcerer Aramas using the Tether, a powerful device of his own creation. His intention was to exile magic and usher in a new age of man. His plan almost succeeded.The Tether, the key to keeping the dimensions separate, has remained hidden on our Earth for two millennia. Now it has been found in a small northern town by Nacelle, a demon underlord. Sckraab, his lord and father, plans to use the Tether to open a permanent portal across the Void between the Earths and conquer both worlds.
Before the Demons get to the Tether, a young miner, Nathan Mallstrom, stumbles upon the artifact during one of his shifts. Caught in the imminent battle for the Earth’s future, Nathan joins with Summer Vale, a super soldier with Demon DNA who is dealing with her own clouded past. The two, along with Nathan’s sister Gwen and Summer's sidekick Bulo, try to unlock the mystery of the Tether and fight to protect the world from a Demonic army.
Featuring
Crew
| Director | Andrew Cymek |
| Writers | Mihkel Harilaid Andrew Cymek |
| Producer | Craig Fleming |
| Cinematographer | Rhett Morita |
| Editor | Andrew Cymek Andrew Kowalchuk |