Things shift from apprehension to fear when Grace and Jack make some shocking discoveries. This is where some viewers may become disconnected. Parallels can be made to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) in how the opening scenes establish the environment as an active participant to the story.īut for all the effectiveness of these initial scenes, the narrative eventually must kick into high gear. When Grace and Jack enter the house, the camera glides behind them in a long unbroken take, showing off the rooms with all their odd furnishings. High angle shots capture the landscape, amplifying the isolation of the property within a prison of trees and lakes. When Grace and Jack drive to the estate, Pierluigi Malavasi’s camera follows the car as it winds through the highway, with Sherri Chung’s low, ominous score accompanying them. There are stretches where he allows the narrative to breathe and develop slowly. The first half operates as the strongest section, with Ragsdale’s direction taking time to develop mood. Fans of the genre may recognize familiar elements, but the craftsmanship and style might be enough to make the viewing experience worthwhile. While the entire piece may not have entirely worked for me, individual sequences and imagery did have an unnerving effect. Directed by Rich Ragsdale (screenplay by Robert Sheppe and Mark Young), there is a lot here to admire in terms of atmosphere and tone. The Long Night (2022) is a home invasion/cult horror film in which our couple’s seemingly quiet weekend gets interrupted by a flock of black hooded, skull wearing intruders. When you visit a strange place with no one in sight and no way to contact the outside world, you might be in a little bit of trouble.Īnd trouble is exactly what Grace and Jack get into. No one else is on the estate other than themselves and their cellphone reception has gone dead. Although the estate looks welcoming enough, Grace and Jack notice something peculiar: the owner is nowhere to be found.
Their search leads them to an old plantation home settled in the middle of an expansive property – lined with trees and overlooking a vast wetland. The two head toward the southern end of the country in hopes of finding Grace’s missing parents. Grace ( Scout Taylor-Compton) and Jack ( Nolan Gerard Funk) are a couple living in New York.