Vaughn Ely is a beloved native of the small town of Smithville, TX with a dark secret.

When Ely discovers that his wife Rosemary is cheating on him with the high school English teacher's husband, David Moore, he makes sure they can't do it again.

Travis and Abby become determined to find proof to support that they are telling the truth, that Ely is crazy, and that he killed Danny.

While Ely argues with Abby-as-Rosemary, Travis sneak attacks him and Abby knocks him out before they bury him alive.

[4] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 22 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".

[5] John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Beneath the Darkness is a teens-in-trouble thriller with barely enough momentum to make it to the end credits" and that "it's clear nobody in the production has any interest [in making a pulpy fun movie]" and "the screenplay is too proud of its going-nowhere literary allusions".

[6] John Anderson of Variety described it as "a malformed, would-be horror shocker with a deliriously deranged performance by Dennis Quaid, who unfortunately seems to be the only one onboard who thinks he's in a comedy.