Uma Lâmina no Escuro

Os personagens dialogam como se tivessem um QI de 80 e a dobragem inglesa também desumaniza as interpretações dos atores (que, por si só, não são nada de especial). Tecnicamente, no entanto, o filme funciona. O visual não é tão sofisticado como o de Dario Argento (nem sequer em grande angular), mas combinado com a música impressionante e o ritmo lento da narrativa, cria uma tensão e um mistério agradáveis que mantêm a sua atenção e, por vezes, o levam ao entusiasmo. Um thriller giallo ligeiramente parvo, mas tecnicamente muito bem-feito, com tudo o que este género precisa. (08/05/2004)

The film A Blade in the Dark has an incredibly slow pace, which is reflected in its excessively long duration. For example, Dario Argento had a similar duration in his legendary film Deep Red, but throughout, there was substance to it. The impression of the length of A Blade in the Dark is also spoiled by the fact that the dialogues are really strange and don't contribute much to the film. They are forced, and you feel like you're listening to someone reciting rehearsed lines rather than following real characters. Of course, they are actors, but they should strive for the most realistic portrayal of their characters possible. Despite all the criticisms, however, Bava's film cannot be rated completely below average, and that's for the simple reason that there are elements here that stand out. First and foremost, it's the music, and secondly, the tension that occasionally sneaks into the film. It's just a shame that the creators didn't play with it a bit better and didn't try to sustain it. When the buildup to a really suspenseful scene finally came, it was soon interrupted by a cut. Maybe the mistake happened in the editing room, I don't know, but it's a pity. A shorter and better-edited film would stand out significantly above average. (21/12/2013)