I've watched about 25 episodes of "Twilight Zone" (the 2002 version) so far, in random order, and this one is the best I've seen so far. It's an incredibly powerful and thought-provoking little drama played out in a compact 20 minutes. In the best tradition of the original "Twilight Zone", it uses fantasy as a vehicle to explore the deepest philosophical questions, in this case about the value of human life, the nature of sacrifice, and the limits of friendship. It's amazing how real the characters felt, and how casually the actors brought them to life in such a short amount of time. The classic ambiguous ending is the icing on the cake. If I see an episode superior to this one I'll report it, but it's doubtful. *** out of 4.
7 Reviews
Let there be light
kapelusznik1811 June 2015
****SPOILERS**** While on a treasure hunt for Aztec gold in the mountains of New Mexico a group of collage students unearth this strange box that's been buried in a cave with strange lettering and symbols carved into it. Tinkering around with the box it's discovered in a hidden compartment this jar of human blood that hasn't hardened or turned to dust for over 500 years! As you would have expected one of the klutzy collage students Amber, Sarah Carter, accidentally spills the blood on the ground when fooling around with the jar. That sets off a number of events in the world where the sun disappears from the heavens and the temperature starts to drop dramatically.
It's became apparent that the blood being spilled is what caused the darkness as well as global cooling to accrue and to bring things back to normal there has to be an genuine Aztec human blood sacrifice preformed to refill the jar with blood and thus that's the cost of being one life to be taken-Aztec style- in the saving of billions of outers. And as luck or hard luck would have it it's Amber, by drawing straws, who's the one chosen to make the ultimate scarface! The problem is will it, Amber's death, bring the sun back or not or if in killing her will not be a act of saving the human race but an act of cold blooded murder!
****SPOILERS**** Opting to do Amber in to save the world the results do or don't seemed to justify what her fellow collage students did. The sun does majestically pops up in the sky but was it Amber being killed or just some strange and unexpected eclipse that caused it to disappear. It's Amber's friends who now have to live the rest of their lives in not really knowing if what they did, in killing Amber, save the world or condemned them as murderers, in the world that they are to inhabit after their long gone, for all eternity!
It's became apparent that the blood being spilled is what caused the darkness as well as global cooling to accrue and to bring things back to normal there has to be an genuine Aztec human blood sacrifice preformed to refill the jar with blood and thus that's the cost of being one life to be taken-Aztec style- in the saving of billions of outers. And as luck or hard luck would have it it's Amber, by drawing straws, who's the one chosen to make the ultimate scarface! The problem is will it, Amber's death, bring the sun back or not or if in killing her will not be a act of saving the human race but an act of cold blooded murder!
****SPOILERS**** Opting to do Amber in to save the world the results do or don't seemed to justify what her fellow collage students did. The sun does majestically pops up in the sky but was it Amber being killed or just some strange and unexpected eclipse that caused it to disappear. It's Amber's friends who now have to live the rest of their lives in not really knowing if what they did, in killing Amber, save the world or condemned them as murderers, in the world that they are to inhabit after their long gone, for all eternity!
About what I'd expect from dumb college students.
planktonrules15 February 2022
Since the 1980s, Hollywood has made tons of 'stupid young person films'. These are films like the "Friday the 13th" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" series...where teens go to a variety of places (such as the abandoned amusement park or roller disco) and are then hacked to pieces by some maniac. This genre was parodied very well in "Tuck and Dale Vs. Evil". "Sunrise" is an episode of "The Twilight Zone" that uses the dumb young people idea and incorporates it into the story.
A group of dopey college students stumble upon some Aztec chest in New Mexico. The chest is like a puzzle box...and they manage to open it amazingly quickly. Inside is a vessel filled with blood...which is odd since the chest is at least 400 years old...and probably much older. One of the dopes spills the container and blood goes everywhere. Soon, the sky darkens and coldness covers the planet...and these college students assume it's because of what they did..and the only way to appease the gods is more blood!
This is a pretty dumb group of young people and I must say the notion of still liquified blood inside the chest is ludicrous. Still, it's a pretty good episode and it's surprisingly fun watching these idiots!
A group of dopey college students stumble upon some Aztec chest in New Mexico. The chest is like a puzzle box...and they manage to open it amazingly quickly. Inside is a vessel filled with blood...which is odd since the chest is at least 400 years old...and probably much older. One of the dopes spills the container and blood goes everywhere. Soon, the sky darkens and coldness covers the planet...and these college students assume it's because of what they did..and the only way to appease the gods is more blood!
This is a pretty dumb group of young people and I must say the notion of still liquified blood inside the chest is ludicrous. Still, it's a pretty good episode and it's surprisingly fun watching these idiots!
"Sorry, but this is my first human sacrifice."
classicsoncall3 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This story has such a built-in inconsistency I'm surprised no one else has mentioned it in their reviews. At one point, Marty (Jonathan Jackson) states that the Aztecs existed during the sixteenth century which is basically correct, but then the group determines that the carved artifact they dug up was five hundred years old. Well, how can that be when the Aztec empire ended in 1521 following the Spanish conquest led by Hernán Cortés? That was just a dumb, unforced error. The story would have worked without mentioning that obvious mistake but that's what the script went with.
Anyway, while spilling the blood enclosed in the Aztec box, the world suddenly plunges into darkness and temperatures around the globe begin to plummet. Feeling they were responsible, a group of five college students panic over reaching a solution that would make things right again. What they come up with is a human sacrifice to replace the blood spilled from the Aztec chalice. Only thing is, it would have to be one of them to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Actually, I'm quite surprised that the group decided to follow through on the idea. Had they waited things out for another day, the life of Amber (Sarah Carter) would have been spared, and the remaining friends wouldn't have to live the rest of their lives with the ever present guilt of killing one of their members. The reappearance of the sun was explained scientifically as having passed through a plasma field, but it was more likely it took a brief wrong turn into the Twilight Zone.
Anyway, while spilling the blood enclosed in the Aztec box, the world suddenly plunges into darkness and temperatures around the globe begin to plummet. Feeling they were responsible, a group of five college students panic over reaching a solution that would make things right again. What they come up with is a human sacrifice to replace the blood spilled from the Aztec chalice. Only thing is, it would have to be one of them to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Actually, I'm quite surprised that the group decided to follow through on the idea. Had they waited things out for another day, the life of Amber (Sarah Carter) would have been spared, and the remaining friends wouldn't have to live the rest of their lives with the ever present guilt of killing one of their members. The reappearance of the sun was explained scientifically as having passed through a plasma field, but it was more likely it took a brief wrong turn into the Twilight Zone.
The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Any More
Hitchcoc13 July 2017
This is an incredibly disturbing episode. Five college student bumble their way into big trouble, as their messing with an Aztec artifact causes the sun to disappear in the sky. Of course, there are all kinds of implications, mainly, the severe temperature drop that affects the entire earth. The problem is that the petroglyphs say that a human sacrifice is necessary to bring back the sun. What do they do. It's the age old story of a group needling to figure who it's going to be. These young actors do a good job with their roles.
Raw, suspenseful, blood amok
safenoe30 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This is an incredibly suspenseful, taut and tense Twilight Zone episode, from the 2003 revival hosted by Forrest Whitaker. If you're nostalgic about the original ones featuring a gray flanneled suit man wistfully yearning for his childhood by the side of a merry-go-round, then turn away. If you're desiring an episode where a lost astronaut screams to the sky "Why/Where/What am I???!!!" only to realize he's on the outskirts of Vegas, then this isn't for you. No way.
Sunrise (which isn't a sequel to Rising Sun, the movie which constructively pondered US-Japanese relations) has a chilling and gory ending. I was hoping there would be a twist somewhere but not really.
I've rewatched Sunrise in January 2022 and I wonder if it was the inspiration for Yellowjackets.
Sunrise (which isn't a sequel to Rising Sun, the movie which constructively pondered US-Japanese relations) has a chilling and gory ending. I was hoping there would be a twist somewhere but not really.
I've rewatched Sunrise in January 2022 and I wonder if it was the inspiration for Yellowjackets.
bunrise
talllwoood1314 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
And here I thought Memphis was the worst episode of this series as it's so out of place. No it's this episode. There is absolutely no originality in this episode. It's just a bunch of kids arguing in a cave and one has a stupid idea ooh lets touch what I suspect is blood in a 400 or so year old cup.
The worst actor is that brown kid. They should have sacrificed him. They all thought about it and because the lazy writers didn't have any other idea he just appears out of nowhere and BAM. All that guy did was complain and try to be the leader, yet no one took him seriously. The fat kid with all the weird clothes got too much screen time too. Maybe someone thought he'd be the next big "star". Well it's 20 years later and I remember him in an obscure 90s show or two so that didn't happen.
I couldn't wait for the credits to roll on this one.
The worst actor is that brown kid. They should have sacrificed him. They all thought about it and because the lazy writers didn't have any other idea he just appears out of nowhere and BAM. All that guy did was complain and try to be the leader, yet no one took him seriously. The fat kid with all the weird clothes got too much screen time too. Maybe someone thought he'd be the next big "star". Well it's 20 years later and I remember him in an obscure 90s show or two so that didn't happen.
I couldn't wait for the credits to roll on this one.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
