Devil's Night

I thought this flick packed a good punch. It moved around well and the camera work was surprisingly professional for something this low budget. The acting was solid but some scenes didn't work too well. Some other scenes seemed forced but overall it is an interesting look at the horror genre. Haven't seen too many movies like this one, a cool idea made simple. The cult scenes were pretty gruesome, not for the faint of heart!

But I'm not certain I like what it was either. 4 high school friends (should have been college friends as they all looked too old for HS) are hanging at a party. The first 3/4 of the film was an okay depiction of the hubris and bored rebellion of youth, with just a hint at what was motivating their behaviors. Unfortunately, the film packed in the "devil's night" in the last quarter stunting what could have been a few steps further in characterization for mindless satanism (maybe, or some sort of cult worship). Even pushing the adolescent male relationships further into a toxic space and horrifying that element would have been better than what was the last 15 minutes of the film But instead, it just maintains its pointless torture for some unspoken reason of the devil worshippers; end. And I mean it just ends. There is a small scene after to try to share how bad it was, but no, we are told nothing more. So somewhat affecting bro culture display ending with pointless cult satanism. The rating is pulled higher for the descent acting and depiction of "youth in revolt" of how the film started. If it was only the last part, it would get a 1.

It's hard to put into words how truly astoundingly awful this "movie" - that is a very generous use of the word - really is. The world's oldest looking high school students are kicked out of a party after a fight. They they spend nearly an hour walking, talking, driving, egging houses, lighting poop on fire, ringing doorbells - you know, incredibly dull running time filler stuff. One disappears , so they drive, walk, and talk about that. They make two attempts to return to the party. They are not welcome. Then around an hour into an 85 minute movie a cult shows up, as if the filmmakers suddenly remembered "oh yeah, it's a horror movie." By this time, there is no salvaging this mess and a lame suburban death cult comes off as an afterthought. Give this one a hard pass, you HAVE to have something better to do.

I am a big fun of mystery horror movies and horror movies in general. This is the first one I actually have done a review on because I am soooo disappointed. Story line is soooo poor. Very slow beginning - shockingly slow actually - as the real action does not kick in until 57min into the film. None of the first 57min actually that much relates to the end. No answers given at the end - nor the hints within 57min what is this occult actually all about. There could be sooo much more that could be done to this movie to improve the story line. Very very poor - I only watched it because of high reviews - still don't know how the face on the movie poster relates in any form to the actual movie.

The writer of this film should have wrote the story as follows, a neighborhood of college friends have come home to visit and have decided to throw a Halloween party and four long life friends decide to go out and cause a little trouble but soon realize that they have stepped in it in a way they had not intended. Because seriously who would ever believe that these people are high school Seniors maybe college seniors possible but for real this is a big error in the writers end and this movie would have been pretty good if only this one detail would have been corrected. I do agree with the eyes wide shut reference and the title does make you think the movie is different then what it is but was a pretty fun movie it seems. So watch enjoy and try not to let the age of the cast bother you while enjoying the film.