NIGHT’S END – Review

What happens when a person tries to get rid of evil spirits, and their own personal demons, without inviting new ones in? The result is the new film on Shudder, NIGHT’S END.

Starring Geno Walker, Kate Arington, Michael Shannon, Isaac Dees, Felonious Munk, Daniel Kyri, Theo Germaine, director Jennifer Reeder (Knives And Skin, V/H/S/94) provides fans a true mix of fun and horror in the story of an anxious shut-in who unwittingly moves into a haunted apartment and hires a mysterious stranger to perform an exorcism that in the end takes an unfortunate horrific turn.

Meant to be a character study of a man choosing to live a claustrophobic life in isolation, his new occupation as a YouTube wanna-be sensation goes south and quickly. Trying to emulate paranormal channel “Dark Corners”, Ken Barber (Walker) transforms his fledgling channel from “Ken’s Lawn Life Tips” to one filled with spooky videos, he starts to think his apartment is haunted when he hears and witnesses spirits. When he begins questioning his own sanity, Barber seeks out advice from his friend who recommends a Spirit Jar, tells his ex-wife and her new husband (a terrific cameo from Michael Shannon) about the ghosts along with receiving guidance from the author and investigator of “Ghost and Their Personas,” Colin Albertson. The helpful investigator provides a convincing history of Barber’s haunted place and on how to rid himself of the unwelcome hauntings. It’s only when the livestream of the “cleansing” ritual starts to happen that the true sinister plot is revealed.

As the tagline says, “When the Night Ends, Hell Begins” and Reeder makes good on this line, literally. It’s what makes the film super scary. Written by Brett Neveu, edited by Mike Olenick with photography by cinematographer Christopher Rejano, the clever dialogue, smart pacing and eerily framed scenes amp up the tension that leads to an nightmarish conclusion that horror fans will love.

Jennifer Reeder was recently named by Oscar winning director Bong Joon Ho (PARASITE) as a filmmaker to watch in the 2020s. Among the many women working in genre films and horror in particular, Reeder presents a convincing feature where the audience is witness to a complex dynamic between predator and prey, good and evil, while showing the bleak devastation of isolation. Instead of a woman in danger, NIGHT’S END is a great twist on the genre where this time it’s about a man in peril.

Meant to be watched on a rainy weekend, and with a fantastic ending, NIGHT’S END is one helluva scary ride.

3 out of 4 stars

NIGHT’S END is streaming now on Shudder US, Shudder CA, Shudder UKI and Shudder ANZ

https://www.shudder.com/movies/watch/nights-end/21392cce85e842cf