Out of the Darkness (2022) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story takes place in Upper Paleolithic Europe during the last Ice Age. It begins on the shores of an unknown land and moves inland toward mountains where the group seeks shelter in a cave. The landscape is rugged wilderness featuring forests, cold air, and scarce resources that shape every decision the group makes.

• upper paleolithic
• europe
• ice age
• wilderness
• cave
• setting

The movie is set approximately 45,000 years ago during the Late Upper Paleolithic period. This was a time when early modern humans (Homo sapiens) inhabited Europe alongside Neanderthals, and the harsh cold environment tested human endurance through migration, scarcity, and the constant struggle for shelter.

• upper paleolithic
• 45000 years ago
• ice age
• prehistoric era
• time period

Survival is the dominant theme, driving every decision from foraging for scarce food to navigating both external threats and internal group tensions. The characters face grim choices including cannibalism to endure winter and protect the vulnerable. The film uses raw hardship to reveal what people will do when hope is scarce and the line between life and death blurs.

• survival
• hardship
• cannibalism
• desperation
• struggle

The encounter with Neanderthals challenges the group's fear-based assumptions about 'the other.' The line 'They are like us' is spoken, suggesting shared humanity beneath species differences. Perceived monsters become real people, inviting reflection on empathy, prejudice, and the complexity of coexistence between different groups.

• neanderthals
• otherness
• prejudice
• empathy
• coexistence

Beyah is a young woman who becomes the group's moral compass under extreme pressure. She questions the brutal choices around her, survives the night of terror, and ultimately confronts the Neanderthals with a mix of pragmatism and empathy. Her actions and reflections frame the possibility of a new common humanity beyond immediate kin.

• beyah
• protagonist
• moral compass
• leadership
• survivor

Adem is the group leader, identified only by his role rather than a family name. His relentless pursuit of a safer future drives the mission into the forest. His pragmatism and willingness to take risks create tension within the group and precipitate a chain of deadly events. He is mortally wounded and becomes the catalyst for Beyah's defining moral choice.

• adem
• leader
• group leader
• pragmatism
• risk taking

The Neanderthals are portrayed as beings capable of relation and protection rather than mere danger. When Heron is abducted, he is later found alongside Beyah, which reframes the Neanderthals in the group's understanding. This challenges the initial perception of them as monsters and suggests capacity for empathy and meaningful connection.

• neanderthals
• depiction
• characterization
• humanity
• relationship

The ending gestures toward a new lineage born from tragedy and hard-won insight. Beyah and Heron's survival suggests a shift in how the group will navigate the world, learning to see kinship beyond immediate kin and planning for a cautious, combined future. The note of regret is balanced with understanding as they move forward.

• new beginnings
• ending
• future
• kinship
• hope

The Ice Age setting creates a harsh, cold expanse that tests human endurance throughout the narrative. Migration, scarcity, and the struggle for shelter dominate daily life, pushing people to extreme choices in order to endure. The environment forces groups to redefine what it means to survive and highlights the constant tension between hope and desperation.

• ice age
• cold
• hardship
• environment
• resources

Heron is the 11-year-old son of Adem and Ave, embodying the fragile future of the group. He is abducted during the night of chaos but is later found alive alongside Beyah. His survival and presence play a pivotal role in reframing the Neanderthals as beings capable of protection and relationship, rather than simply being threats.

• heron
• child
• abduction
• future
• youth

Odal is an older man whose fear-driven worldview leads him to propose sacrifice and blame as a way to avert danger. His aggression culminates in a violent clash with the unknown, and he is killed as the night unfolds. His character highlights the peril of superstition and fear-based decision-making in a precarious world.

• odal
• elder
• fear
• superstition
• violence