The Twilight Zone (TV Series) Into the Light (2003) User Reviews

The light is not in my head! It's real!

[kapelusznik18 · 6/10 · 15 October 2015]

***SPOILERS**** Based on the 1960's "Twilight Zone" episode "The Purple Testament" this newer version has to do with English teacher Rachel Stark. Samantha Mathis, who developed this sixth sense of seeing death before it happens. That by the person targeted emitting a strange light that forecast his soon to happen demise! It's when Rachel sees almost the entire school, teachers & students, emitting this strange light she knows that the worst is soon going to happen. But how it's going to happen is another story.

Trying to get the school Principal Karr, Peter Bryant, to have the school evacuated before danger hits Rachel is told to take a long vacation and get psychiatric help before she's allowed to return to work. It's then that Rachel sees the reason for her nightmare. One of her students Ben Jordan, Kyle Labine, who because he's a major fu*k up in her English class is not only determined to kill himself but , to get even with his poor grades,take the entire school along with him.

***SPOILERS*** By then Rachel doesn't give a sh*t about her life since she already, with that strange light emitting from from her face, saw in the mirror that she herself was slated for death! And with her having nothing to lose risked her life in stopping Ben, with assault rifle in hand, from preventing him from carrying out his crazed and deranged plan. Based on the Columbine High School shooting on Hitler's birthday-April 20, 1999- the "Twilight Zone' episode did end in tragedy but by Rachel's attempt in trying to prevent the massacre from happening the loss of life-Her & Ben-was at an absolute minimum.

Not Far From Columbine

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 11 July 2017]

This is one of those episodes where a person with a special power can do nothing to be believed. A young English teacher who is pretty much burned out doesn't get the respect she deserves from her students. After a group slashes her tires, she is walking home when a guy on a skateboard rolls by. He is one of her students and he has a glow emanating from his face. The next day he is struck by a car. She sees the light on two other people. They also die. When she returns for her last day of school, she sees random students glowing like the former ones. She has to do something to stop them from dying. But what? This is a pretty good episode.

"I just had a weird afternoon, that's all."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 17 March 2023]

Even though many Twilight Zone stories result in an unforeseeable or unhappy ending, this one felt more dispiriting than most. Burned out high school teacher Rachel Stark (Samantha Mathis) is ready to call it quits for good as the school year nears its end. Her students are apathetic and some are downright mean and vindictive. After she discovers one of her vehicle's tires intentionally flattened and is forced to take a bus home, she notices a strange light that appears around the face of an irate bus passenger who collapses with a heart attack and dies. Similarly, one of her students skateboards past her the next day with the same glowing countenance. After the boy's death is revealed the next day as a result of an accident, Rachel visits a local hospital and experiences her strange power once again with a dying patient. Her next-level encounter occurs the following school day when she notices multiple students with a bright visage, prompting a visit to the principal (Peter Bryant) with a dire warning that something awful is about to happen. Disregarded for her concern, a school alarm suddenly blares forcing an evacuation, while Rachel catches a glimpse of a rifle extending out over the school's roof. Determined to stop a serious act of violence, she catches a glimpse of her reflection in a hall window, and sees her own face surrounded by the prophetic light. With minimal regard for her own safety, Rachel confronts a disaffected student who's about to target panicking teens as they head out of the building. Rachel's heroic act in stopping Ben Jordan (Kyle Labine) from creating mass murder resulted in her own death as both fell from the roof to the ground below. In what would have been a happy ending, the story's resolution is offset by the sacrifice of a dedicated teacher.

Timely and very sad.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 15 February 2022]

"Into the Light" is yet another remake of an original "Twilight Zone" episode....something that just happened too often with the rebooted episodes of the 1980s, 2000s and 2010s. But fortunately, it's a very rare case where I think the episode is actually better than the original...and it sure is very timely.

Rachel is a burnt out teacher. She's just had enough and is ready to quit...and tenders her resignation at the end of the school year. However, something odd happens in her final days at the school. Occasionally, she'll notice a weird glow on a person's face....and soon after they die! First, it happens on a bus. The second time it happens to one of her students. Naturally, she assumes that she somehow knows when a person is about to die...and she thinks she can possibly change this. But how? This is especially difficult when on her last day, she sees LOTS of kids from the school with glowing faces...how can she possibly stop this or convince her principal that so many are at risk?!

This episode obviously was influenced by many of the high profile school shootings of the day. In the original, "The Purple Testament", it was set in wartime....but this show, because it's at a high school, seems to hit closer to home. It also left me sad and drained...but also, in a way, a bit hopeful. Very well made and worth your time.