The ever reliable teens versus slasher trope has been a staple of horror cinema for decades. The killer might have a different mask, different motives, and an entirely different group of teenagers to terrorize, but the formula rarely changes. The kids get picked off one by one until we’re left with a final girl to save the day and bring the nightmare to an end. We’ve seen it with SCREAM, URBAN LEGEND, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, and a whole slew of other ’90s teen slashers. Wes Craven helped establish the blueprint, and everyone else just kept tracing over the original.
DEAD OF NIGHT, from first-time director Derek Sulek and produced by Chris Jericho, feels like a movie pulled straight out of the ’90s, with the acting and storytelling sensibilities of an ’80s schlock fest. Now, some might consider that a negative, but in horror, those very ingredients can sometimes make for a great time at the movies and even give a film the makings of a future cult classic.
The murders start almost immediately in DEAD OF NIGHT, and they never really let up. There’s an interesting nod to SCREAM when the first victim is strung up by her intestines on a light pole like a gutted fish. It’s a brutal introduction to a masked killer and a town suddenly caught in the middle of a nightmare, desperately trying to figure out what’s happening and who’s responsible.
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Official Synopsis: A small town is terrorized by a series of brutal murders, as a determined sheriff, his daughter, and a desperate mayor race to uncover the truth behind the killings before the town descends into chaos.
OUR REVIEW
Set in the otherwise quiet community of Elmwood Heights, the discovery of a mutilated teenage girl’s body sends shockwaves through the town. We’re talking full butchering and display-style. It’s a grisly kill right from the film’s start. With panic beginning to spread, the newly elected mayor attempts to take control of the situation by organizing a neighborhood watch. Unfortunately, a few concerned neighbors keeping an eye on the streets aren’t going to do much good when a masked killer is still out there taking lives.
Sheriff Weaver, played by Dermot Mulroney (MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING, ABOUT SCHMIDT), finds himself dealing with the growing chaos as he races to identify the murderer. Mulroney does his best to bring the sheriff to life as the man responsible for handling all the mayhem the town has to face, but his performance comes across a bit colder than perhaps intended. Meanwhile, his daughter Kelly, portrayed by Kirrilee Berger, begins looking into the growing pattern of violence herself. As the body count rises, Kelly becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the killings and the motives of the person responsible.
The performances throughout the film can be a bit over the top at times, but that’s to be expected when an entire community is potentially facing the threat of being wiped out by a masked killer. Everyone is understandably stressed beyond belief, and that tension begins to take its toll on the people of Elmwood Heights.
In one particularly intense little scene, Kelly nearly blows her mother away with a shotgun when she mistakes her struggle to get into the house with the groceries for something much more sinister. It’s a brief moment, but one that highlights just how easily fear can get the better of us and make us do some pretty irrational things. When you no longer know who might be lurking around the corner, even the people closest to you can become a potential threat in your mind.
Kelly continues pressing her father for more information as the two begin uncovering more details about the killings. The deeper they dig, the more questions seem to surface, and it becomes increasingly clear that whatever is happening in Elmwood Heights may be more complicated than anyone initially imagined.
Jake Busey (STRANGER THINGS, RUST) also takes on a character we haven’t really seen him play before. Rather than the usual eccentric or unpredictable personality, Busey plays a bit of a simp who is more concerned with getting out of town than dealing with the nightmare unfolding around him. His wife, Mayor Mitchell, played by Alex Camacho, has other plans and has to slap some sense back into him and remind him of the plan they are supposed to be following. This is happening while the community is still reeling from the discovery of her father’s butchered body just the day before. Needless to say, there’s quite a bit of tension in that household as well.
For the most part, the acting throughout DEAD OF NIGHT is right on point for the kind of story being told. Each character brings some much-needed weight to the proceedings, whether they’re dealing with the mounting fear, trying to keep the community together, or simply figuring out how to survive another night. The performances may occasionally lean toward the theatrical, but they fit the heightened atmosphere of this particular brand of slasher.
There is certainly no shortage of blood in DEAD OF NIGHT, with each kill seemingly more brutal and bloodier than the last. There is one particular scene that could have come straight out of TERRIFIER, judging by the sheer amount of blood on display. Taking place inside a bathroom stall at a diner, this is one hell of a kill and easily one of the more memorable moments in the film. It isn’t necessarily clever, but it is downright nasty, and sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for in a slasher. A broken Coke bottle to the neck is one hell of a way to go, and this scene makes sure you won’t forget it anytime soon.
Scott Grimes (TED, OPPENHEIMER) also deserves a mention here. The man has done comedy and sci-fi quite well over the years, so it’s nice to see him step into the horror genre and add another notch to his belt. His performance fits right in with the rest of the cast, and between him and the other characters, there’s no shortage of personality to keep things moving. He comes into the film at a pivotal point…a little too coincidental, if ya ask us.
The killer goes absolutely ham on more than a few townies and, by the time the blood settles, emerges looking like a genuine slasher icon. There is plenty of mayhem to go around, and the film certainly doesn’t shy away from giving its masked murderer a memorable body count. Seeing a few of Chris Jericho‘s wrestling buddies pop up in the film was also a nice treat. Considering Jericho served as one of the producers, it makes sense that a few familiar faces from the wrestling world would find their way into the production. It’s a fun little bonus for wrestling fans and another reason to appreciate the people involved in bringing this one to life.
FINAL WORD
Of course, DEAD OF NIGHT isn’t without its shortcomings. The film drags a bit in places, and there’s a mid-movie murder that seems to get overlooked and barely acknowledged by the story as a whole. It’s an odd moment that feels like it should carry more weight than it ultimately does. There are also a few instances where the masked killer seems to possess a little more strength than should realistically be possible. It’s very much a case of Ghostface syndrome, where the killer in the SCREAM movies can seemingly overpower just about anyone whenever the situation calls for it.
We can tell what director Derek Sulek was aiming for with this slasher. The film has a good style to it, but you can clearly see where it borrowed from other films to make its story more complete. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and Dead Of Night does this in spades. Think every 90s slasher you know, and then add a new mask and a few ingenious kills plus some humor, and it’s a classic formula for a good ol’ time.
Horror fans have been enjoying this exact formula for years and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change anytime soon, why would we ever want it to?
DEAD OF NIGHT Gets 3 Knives Out of 5 🔪🔪🔪