Bloody Disgusting’s The Long Night review takes a look at the new indie horror movie starring Scout Taylor-Compton, who played Laurie Strode in Rob Zombie’s Halloween movies.
Having grown up in a foster home and wanting to learn more about who her family is, Grace (Scout Taylor-Compton) comes across a lead that may help her find some answers. With her boyfriend Jake (Nolan Gerard Funk) joining her, the two take off to a southern plantation that is somehow tied to her past. During their trip they encounter occult totems, as well as a symbol sketched in random places. It doesn’t take long for the couple to sense something is off and they decide to leave – that is until a cult stops them from doing so.
Written by Robert Sheppe and Mark Young, directed by Richard Ragsdale, The Long Night is a film brimming with ominous atmosphere. While Taylor-Compton and Funk offer fine performances, their characters lack any sort of substance; that said, the environment that surrounds them, as well as the story, more than make up for that (for the most part).
The Long Night has a great amount of mystique to it that builds overtime. Random images appear around Grace, a robed figure appearing in the distance, and the cult symbol appearing randomly on Grace’s phone – there isn’t any great explanation to any of this, and it all works brilliantly to draw out curiosity. The ominous intrigue grows more powerful when the cult is introduced; again, there is no understanding as to why they are present at first and terrorizing Grace and Jake, which makes their presence more unsettling. Along with the creepy visuals that pop on screen at times – as well as some psychedelic sequences – the film also includes a captivating score, the string work putting in a lot to amplify suspense and discomfort.
These elements all come together to provide a great overall tension throughout The Long Night. There are some cheap jump scares at times, though some do play into the film’s great aura of supernatural intrigue. Accompanying the powerful atmosphere is also some moments of brutal violence. At first, we don’t know what to expect from the cult; suffice to say, they are willing to get their hands bloody. What is more interesting though is what they are fully capable of doing; while they have weapons, they also have supernatural talents they can use to torture others.
Even when details surrounding the cult become more explicit – the audience probably being able to piece some points together – the film maintains a strong mystique and keeps its audience in the dark as to what may unfold. Where things do get a tad iffy though is that of the film’s final moments. Whereas so much of the film leaves the viewer in the dark, the finale throws a lot out narratively and sort of gets silly. What does end up taking place is neat, but its execution is equally as weak.
That said, even with a somewhat disappointing conclusion, The Long Night still makes for a worthy watch. With its stellar atmosphere, grim violence, and chilling tone, The Long Night evokes a spell that’ll lure viewers into a gripping experience.
The Long Night is now available on VOD outlets.
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