A surprisingly good, no-frills, low-budget horror film, "Midnight Movie" had some success on the festival circuit before enjoying a limited theatrical release in October of 2008 before finally hitting DVD in January of '09.
Professionally shot with an adequate cast, the movie doesn't pretend to be anything more than a good slasher movie. It's actually a very good slasher movie, one that deserved a wider release. But in an era where only remakes can get a wide theatrical release, this one was basically destined for DVD.
The film opens in an insane asylum where Radford, an aging homicidal movie maker, is set to re-view the horror movie he made back in the late 1960s, as part of his therapy. All hell breaks loose at the asylum during the viewing with most of the inmates and staff in the unit slaughtered and the mad director vanished.
Flash forward six years. The same movie is now set to play at a midnight screening at a town theater, with only a small audience expected to show up. Also in attendance are the cop and Radford's former psychiatrist, worried that the missing madman may show up to the only screening of his horror movie in decades.
As the movie unreels before us, the events in the film begin merging with events in the theater, with the killer seemingly exiting the screen and killing off members of the staff dumb enough to go off onto their own. Things get even more supernatural after the teens and adult authority figures realize this is happening and discover they can't leave the theater -- it has entered some kind of supernatural no man's land where cel phones don't work.
Combining elements of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and John Carpenter's "Cigarette Burns" (a similar but superior episode of "Masters of Horror"), "Midnight Movie" does deliver a clever twist ending and enough suspense (and gore) to qualify it as a recommended title. It also contains a little bit of refreshing sleaze to make it even more interesting.
Its weak points are a less-than-terrifying looking slasher and too much grungy heavy metal on the soundtrack. But all in all, horror fans will find that the film delivers the goods. Just don't set your expectations too high.
A solid horror movie that deserved a wider release, "Midnight Movie" should enjoy a long shelf life in video rental stores.
I rented this film because it said on the back of the box that it won some awards... the opening sequence was intriguing and led me to believe there was gonna be some good carnage ahead. The acting wasn't terrible, but was ok for the budget, (the actors reminded me of the low budget YTV teen show 'Student Bodies') and the gore ramped up pretty nicely as the movie progressed. And like all good slasher flicks new to the world, this one is loaded with sequel possibilities because of the swiss cheese plot.
I've seen tons of slasher/gore/horror flicks and can honestly say it IS worth watching. So go rent it!
Posted by shattered68 on January 10, 2009
hey jared, i want to rent it but can't find out if there is an unrated cut of the movie. most list it as rated r, but a few say its unrated but with the exact same running time of 84 minutes. can anyone help?
Posted by horrorfan on January 20, 2009
I don't remember if the version I saw was R or unrated but it was pretty good. Hard to fathom this film could be bloody enough to get an NC-17 under any circumstances.
Posted by richard_glass on May 4, 2009
This film is Not Rated, as it was not submitted to the MPAA, so it is neither rated R or Unrated. Don't worry about it, it's the only cut of the film there is.
Posted by MAK_AVELLI2003 on November 3, 2009
I wouldn't reccomend this movie at all, not ever to rent...the acting was horrible, except for Timmy...
Posted by Bill on January 23, 2010
I thought this movie ROCKED!
I bought it because my local Blockbuster was having a Going Out of Business Sale, and it looked like it was worth the $1.50 gamble. When I finally watched it, I was amazed. This is the most clever and orignal slasher since A Nightmare On Elm Street. It incorporates a zillion cliches, but it takes them in unpredictable directions. It was suprizingly effective. It has some elements that are never adequately explained (ex. how the child escapes at the end), but overall, this is the most enjoyable slasher pic I've seen in one hell of a long time.
This movie is good....plain and simple. If you watch it, it will grab you and you will be engaged to the very end. The acting is good enough and the plot is quite surprisingly interesting and intelligent. You will care about what happens and what the ending will be like... and isn't that what good movies are supposed to deliver? So trust me, this movie is worth seeing, in all its B-movie glory!
Posted by kiss on June 7, 2012
oh my god
Posted by Joe on May 15, 2013
Such an epic ending!! Would love to co write and direct the sequel!!
