Against the Night (film)
A ghost hunting video becomes a deadly encounter in an abandoned prison.
Against the Night, also known as Amityville Prison, is a 2017 American horror film written and directed by Brian Cavallaro. It received a limited theatrical release and stars Hannah Kleeman, Tim Torre, and Frank Whaley. The story follows a group of friends who are killed one by one while shooting a ghost hunting video in Holmesburg Prison.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Brian Cavallaro
- Producer
- Arielle Brachfeld; Brian Cavallaro
- Starring
- Frank Whaley
- Hannah Kleeman
- Tim Torre
- Music
- Rob Houle
- Cinematography
- Will Barratt
- Editing
- Kevin Armstrong
- Studio
- Ball Four Productions
- Distributor
- Gravitas Ventures
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Rachel, the sole survivor of an incident at the abandoned Holmesburg Prison, is interviewed there by Detective Ramsey. Hours earlier, during a housewarming party, her friend Hank, a wannabe filmmaker, convinces Rachel and seven others to help him make a ghost hunting video at Holmesburg. After breaking in, the group splits up; Rachel and her ex-boyfriend Sean find paperwork on human experimentation and unintelligible blueprints for structures similar to Holmesburg. A figure in a gas mask and Hazmat suit stalks and kills them one by one. Hank believes the murderer is an alien, claiming Holmesburg is a hotspot for extraterrestrial phenomena and serves as a landing pad for otherworldly beings. Hank and two others are killed simultaneously; the murderer binds, gags, and places gas masks on Dan and Michelle, leading to Michelle's accidental death by Sean. Rachel and Sean free Dan, discover a methamphetamine laboratory, and recover Dan's cellphone. They call for help and seemingly kill the masked man, but another appears and kills Dan. Rachel and Sean flee into the lab, where Sean accidentally attacks and is shot by a SWAT team. Detective Ramsey doubts Rachel's story, noting no signs of anyone else besides dead meth dealers. He suggests the group unknowingly inhaled meth fumes, causing psychotic breaks. Another officer radios that recovered footage shows, "It's not what we thought." The lights go out; a gas-masked figure enters and kills Ramsey, then removes its mask to reveal an alien before lunging at Rachel.
Reception
Rob Hunter of Film School Rejects responded positively, calling the film a fun horror movie with atmosphere and scares despite a limited budget. Mike Sprague of Arrow in the Head found it repetitive and boring, with thinly drawn characters, but admitted its third act was "balls-to-the-wall" entertaining. Joe Leydon of Variety described it as a patchwork of clichés and stock characters, not entirely useless. Dax Ebaben of Bloody Disgusting gave it 1½ out of 5, noting a decent concept floundering in execution. Matt Boiselle of Dread Central also awarded 1½ out of 5, contemptuously criticizing the flavorless characters, insipid plot, lack of scares, and shaky camera work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the music for Against the Night (film)?
The music for Against the Night was composed by Rob Houle.
How long is Against the Night (film)?
Against the Night has a running time of 85 minutes.
Who distributed Against the Night (film)?
Against the Night was distributed by Gravitas Ventures.
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