"There is something just fantastic about a poltergeist tale set in 1970's Yorkshire..."

When settling down to indulge yourself in a cinematic ghost story, there's nothing like a good old "based on a true story..." tag to raise your levels of scepticism and get yourself in the mood for a something that is completely - and evidently - not actually a real true story. Yet in Pat Holden's British horror When the Lights Went Out, it all just seems, well, plausible.

Set in 1970's Yorkshire, we follow the haunting story of The Maynards - an ordinary, working-class family who have moved to a new home only to discover that they aren't the only ones who are living there, as it soon transpires that they are amongst poltergeists.

Teenage daughter Sally (Tasha Connor) is the first to suspect there is a presence among them, and despite the initial cynicism from her parents Jenny (Kate Ashfield) and Len (Steven Waddington), soon the hauntings become far too apparent, and suddenly this dream move has turned into a nightmare for this innocent family - particularly for Sally, who is seemingly of more interest to the ghosts than her parents...

The reason Holden's naturalistic picture comes across as being more believable than fellow supernatural horrors, is down to the somewhat relatable setting, as there is something quite familiar about witnessing just an everyday family, living within relatively humble means in northern Britain, which isn't your typical setting for a movie of this ilk. When the Lights Went Out feels like a very traditional, British feature which conflicts with the supernaturalism that exists, making this film feel unique.

There is something just fantastic about a poltergeist tale set in 1970s Yorkshire, with an array of terrible outfits and ingenious facial hair (Martin Compston's brilliant moustache a highlight) that gives this film a unique feel. It's not quite as "I've just seen t'ghost Barbara" as I would have liked, but there are shades of it.

Due to feeling relatively natural, you would therefore expect the realism to extend to the horror sequences, and thus make for chilling consequences, and although you do believe in this story, you certainly don't feel scared by it. In fact, I doubt you could even go as far as branding this picture a horror movie as it simply isn't scary at all. To be fair, it doesn't truly feel as though it is attempting to be a traditional horror, as it plays up to its more light-hearted approach, feeling more like a drama that just happens to be centred around the theme of ghosts. There are a handful of jumpy moments, but there isn't a creepy or sinister tone to this picture at all.

One of the reasons When the Lights Went Out is devoid of any horror, is that there is barely any build up to the first introduction of the ghost. Feeling scared when watching a film is often merely a result of built up tension, as so often in horror movies we wait so long before being introduced to our antagonist, that by the time it comes we're already feeling incredibly tense and therefore easily frightened. Whereas Holden, on the other hand, throws his cards on the table far too quickly. The poltergeist itself is also rather understated, as the family are all aware of its existence, but they just sort of get on with things as the ghost almost becomes a mere family pet. If our protagonists aren't particularly scared, why should we be?

If hoping for a spine-tingling horror from When the Lights Went Out, prepare to be disappointed, yet if you go in expecting a harmless, undemanding British drama you'll get exactly what you hoped for. This picture is simply a more subtle offering from within the possession film genre; not so much stabbing crosses in indecent places, but more swaying lamp shades and tickle attacks, and in a sense, it's all the better for it.