While they are trying to find a way to get help or escape, Jake discovers a photo album containing pictures of Seth, a brother that Madison realizes she couldn't remember.

Frank Scheck for The Hollywood Reporter claimed the film "would be infuriating except that its terminal dullness saps the energy required for outrage.

"[2] Monica Castillo for The New York Times found that the film had potential but disappointed saying "Austin Reading's horror movie "Darkness Rising" has the makings of a solid haunted-house story...However, tossing these ingredients together does not guarantee a decent scare.

"[4] Maitland McDonagh for Film Journal International said "Ultimately, the trouble with Darkness Rising isn't that so much it's generic—Robert Wise's The Haunting (1963) is a classic that works with the same basic notes—as that the characters are so undefined that it's impossible to care what happens to them beyond wishing that they'd stop screaming.

"[6] Horrorella for Aint It Cool News called it "a very mixed bag of good intentions, potentially interesting ideas and poor execution.