RAW REVIEW: LAST SHIFT

There's something inherently eerie about empty public buildings. It's the alien concept of subverting the norms, showing normally bustling spaces, those that one is used to seeing full of people, bare and seemingly abandoned. 

Horror movies have developed a tradition for the effective use of empty schools, libraries and especially hospitals, perhaps most memorably utilised in Halloween 2.

Less common, but every bit as effective, is the use of an isolated, vacant police station, as proven in both John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 and the video game Resident Evil 2.

Which brings us to Anthony DiBlasi's Last Shift (originally titled Paymon: King of Hell, then wisely renamed), a movie that has intrigued me for some time.

Was it much cop? Or would I want to throw it in the slammer?

Read on...

LAST SHIFT (2014)

Dir: Anthony DiBlasi

Starring: Juliana Harkavy, Hank Stone, Erica Lea Shelton, Randy Molnar, J. LaRose, Joshua Mikel, Natalie Victoria, Sarah Sculco, Kathryn Kilger, Mary Lankford, Matt Doman

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

Jessica Loren (Harkavy) is a rookie police officer who has joined the force to follow in the footsteps of her father (Molnar) who died on duty a hero.

However, her first shift is not particularly glorious — she is assigned to an old station that has recently relocated to another precinct. Closed to the public, Loren's job — as she is reliably informed by her gruff superior, Sgt Cohen (Stone) — is to watch over the building until a team can come to collect the crime scene evidence kept in storage.

Left to her own devices, her night takes a strange turn when a homeless man (LaRose) wanders in and urinates in the lobby, then she receives a series of panicky phone calls from a distressed young woman called Monica (Shelton) who is being held captive on a farm.

As the night goes on, Loren comes to realise that the mysterious events could have something to do with a notorious old case involving a murderous Manson-esque cult, led by the diabolical and now deceased John Michael Paymon (Mikel).

As the decidedly creepy occurrences (including visions of hooded, bloody figures) escalate, Loren is torn between fleeing for her own safety and the shame of disgracing her father's memory by abandoning her post. 
What is going on in the empty hallways? What links Loren to the Paymon family? And will she last the night?

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): I chanced upon Last Shift with very little in the way of expectation — however, when I saw that it was from the director of Dread and Cassadaga, two great horror flicks, that soon changed and I eagerly looked forward to watching it.
Luckily, I was not disappointed.
The story (co-written by director DiBlasi and Scott Poiley) is simple, but effective, slowly feeding us the information we need to make sense of the spooky goings-on but using those same scares to keep us hooked. What's more it's a story that makes sense and when explanations are given for the unexplainable, you don't find yourself screaming abuse at the screen. All too often explanations kill the mystery and with it, most of the scares, but if anything, these explanations just up the chills. With a complex backstory involving a murderous, Manson family-like cult and the supernatural, giving the story a little room to breathe allows it to sink its hooks in before ratcheting up the nastiness.
Of course, a key part in building a suitably dread-soaked atmosphere is in the look of the film. Thankfully the cinematography by Austin F. Schmidt is superb, while DiBlasi's eye for framing makes for some extremely tense moments and some effective, well-worked jumpscares.

What's more, these are legitimate, well-earned jumpscares. Tension is built the old-fashioned way, through giving us a character worth caring about, then placing her in genuinely unnerving situations, emphasising darkness and isolation in the shot with lots of empty space, then promptly filling aforesaid space with nightmarish visuals. These are proper horror frights, no spring-loaded cats, deafening telephones or ninja-like colleagues who inexplicably remain utterly undetected until appearing in bathroom mirrors. The frightful imagery with which DiBlasi chooses to jolt the audience — bloody, masked assailants and unrecognisable, brutalised victims — are well worth the visceral response their unexpected appearance provokes.

I mentioned that we have a protagonist worth caring about and that is thanks to the superb characterisation and an awesome performance from Harkavy. Walking Dead fans will recognise the stunning Harkavy from her stint on the show and her work in Last Shift gives us a very good indicator as to why she was granted such a high profile gig. She's a very talented actress, which is absolutely vital considering that she carries the bulk of the film on her shoulders. Make no bones about it, Harkavy is the star of this film, everybody else is supporting cast. She's the one through whom we witness the story unfold and it is her arc that we follow. 
It's actually refreshing to see a horror heroine who isn't a simpering victim who turns her fortunes around — Loren is a strong capable heroine who could just as easily been male. I also loved the character trait in which her profession acted as a substitute for her faith. In the scenes during which she's terrorised, Loren recites her police oath as if it were the Lord's Prayer to fortify her resolve. She also carries a battered old book for times of crisis, however instead of a Holy Bible, this is a Law Enforcement Handbook. It's a nice touch that helps to strengthen the sense of the character's dedication to her work and, with that, strengthening her motives to stand by her post, which Harkavy carries off effortlessly. She's quite fantastic.

However, just because Loren is the lead, that doesn't mean that the rest of the cast are any less impressive. LaRose (who I loved in Windwalkers) is unrecognisable in his role and makes a lasting impression. Shelton's voice work is also very impressive, however, the real scene stealers have to be the utterly terrifying Paymon family. 

Mikel is superb, charismatic but manic, unhinged but seductive — everything you'd expect from an insane cult leader.

As his two most devout followers Sculco and Kilger utterly nail it, veering from naively childish to deranged at a moment's notice. The creepy interrogation footage of the trio calmly discussing the ritualistic murder of doubters and innocents is every bit as chilling as the spectres roaming the station.

And, ultimately, it is the scares that define the success of a horror film. This is one area in which Last Shift really delivers. From the heart-stopping jumps to the twisted psychological scares cultivated through character and the isolated sets, by way of some spectacularly gruesome effects and set pieces from Jeremy S Brock and Jason Murphy (the Elm Street-esque 'dragged' body is a particular ghoulish highlight and the grisly make-up work on the extremely unnerving Bashed Face Betty, when combined with Lindsi Jeter's truly frightening performance makes for serious nightmare fuel) Last Shift brings the fear. 

Finally, as gorgeous as the film is on the eyes, it would be remiss to overlook the wonderfully atmospheric score by Adam Barber. A vital part in cultivating dread, Barber's work is utterly flawless and, combined with the recurring use of the Paymon family's hymn, totally hits the spooky spot.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): I've read a few reviews of Last Shift and one area in which I've noticed some criticism is a perceived lack of realism with regards to how long Loren remains at the station in the face of some seriously disturbed shit.

I get where that argument comes from, but it totally overlooks a huge part of the character's mindset. Under tremendous pressure to live up to her father's reputation, Loren is utterly driven to not fail him. Without that drive, we lose our lead's key motivation. 
What's more, we're given plenty of extra reasons for her to stick around, not least the series of phonecalls she receives from a distressed young girl in mortal peril. Loren is led to believe that she may be all that stands between Monica and a terrible fate and the weight of responsibility hangs heavy on her. Also, after taking LaRose's homeless station invader into custody, Loren is burdened with a duty of care for her captive. As if that's not enough, we are also shown that at one point she has reason to believe that she is being subjected to a hazing prank pulled on rookies, and finally, by the time all of the other factors have been removed, she has been subjected to a severe psychological ordeal and deliberate insidious manipulation, so quite understandably, her head is not in the right place to be making any decisions. 
So, long story short, the main problem that most people seem to have with the plot really isn't a problem under more careful inspection.
While I praised the characterisation of the lead and the work of the supporting players, it is worth reiterating that outside of Loren, the characters are quite thinly sketched. As the story focuses on Harkavy's character and the events around her this isn't too big of a deal but there are times at which characters are introduced only to be promptly dropped and never seen or heard from again.
Finally, while I liked the way in which DiBlasi took his time telling his story, the movie did feel as if there were points at which it became a little repetitive. What's more the pacing was further skewed by the abrupt ending which also flares from a quietly suspenseful character piece to an out of left-field shoot-out sequence. Perhaps some tweaking in the editing room might have helped out here and made the transition between the second and third acts less jarring?

THE VERDICT: Last Shift was a really pleasant surprise. Playing out like a diabolical mixture of Assault on Precinct 13 and Silent Hill, it looks and sounds fantastic, tells a compelling story and delivers big time when it comes to memorable scares. With a great lead and seriously talented director, this is definitely one to watch. Consider me a part of the Last Shift cult!

For those of you who want to check the film out (and you really should!) it is available TODAY (6th October) in the States from Magnet Releasing, on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD. I shall let my UK readers know as soon as we get a release.
In the meantime, check out the film's official Facebook page here. Give it a Like while you're there too, this is a movie that deserves your support!

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House @HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.

FILM4 FRIGHTFEST SPECIAL — REVIEW: WIND WALKERS

Mythology, from all corners of the globe, offers some truly fantastic sources of inspiration for genre movies. Not just the swashbuckling Harryhausen Greek legend romps such Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans, but as an inspiration for deeply unsettling horror too. 

From modern Scandinavian efforts such as Thale and Trollhunter to J-Horror classics such as The Grudge and Ring's terrifying onryo, via Judeo-Christian tales such as the Dibbuk box of 2012's The Possession and the dark unnerving folktales of Celtic mythology at the heart of The Hallow, the influence of ancient mythology is still ever-present in horror.

As a comparatively young nation, America's folklore tends to come from the old countries of the early settlers. However, there are legends indigenous to the land — those of the Native American people. There have been some quite accomplished genre films based on Native American mythology (particularly the Windigo) and the latest is Russell Friedenberg's Wind Walkers.
Will this one blow you away? Or will you tell it to keep walking?
Read on…

WIND WALKERS (2015)

Dir: Russell Friedenberg
Starring: Zane Holtz, Glen Powell, J. Larose, Kiowa Gordon, Phil Burke, Castille Landon, Russell Friedenberg, Tsulan Cooper, Rudy Youngblood, Christopher Kriesa

SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: I'll try not to spoil too much here but continue at your own risk.

Returning from a tour of duty in the Middle East, traumatised soldier Kotz (Holtz) has been consigned to a desk job following an incident that has left him and his good friend Matty (Youngblood) deeply troubled. In fact, since their return to Florida, Matty has disappeared, a victim of his own insanity.
As Thanksgiving comes Kotz is reunited with familiar faces: close friends including Matty's father Neelis (Saw and Insidious' Larose), mother Sue (Cooper) and younger brother Jake (Gordon); joker Kelly (Burke); decent and reliable David, or 'Doc' (director Friedenberg); 'frenemy' Sonny (Powell); and fiancée Lexi (Landon). The group gather at Neelis's home for an annual traditional barbecue where they sit around the campfire and tell stories, however, events disturb Sue and she becomes hysterical, a sad occurrence attributed to the pressure she feels over her eldest son's disappearance.
The following day the group of men embark on a hunting trip deep into the Everglades. Here they discover that something or someone has ransacked their cabin. Settling in for the night the hunters again tell stories by the fire, one of which is an old Native American legend about the Wind Walkers, dangerous shape-shifting beasts that were summoned to dispatch the invading waves of white settlers that plundered the land. 
The following day tragedy strikes. Afterwards Kotz tries desperately to cope with the emotional burden of his horrific combat experiences, try to both mend his fragmented relationships and survive the events in the swamp. What is stalking the mangrove forests seeking fresh meat? Can the men overcome their own issues to face this threat? And what demons are awoken by war — both within the hearts of men and without?

THE BEST BITS (mild spoiler warning): Wind Walkers is a fascinating film with plenty of unique and compelling elements that ensure you can never predict what is to come. The story by director Friedenberg uses these seemingly disparate elements wonderfully, combining them to create its own enthralling mythos. With elements of a Black Hawk Down-style 'war is hell' story, crossed with the backwoods horror of Deliverance or Southern Comfort, by way of a supernatural monster movie (which in turn leads to a whole other very popular genre that I don't want to give away here, but feels fresh due to the way it is incorporated), this is a wonderfully crafted and imaginative tale. 
It would be easy to just throw a load of random horror tropes at the screen and see what sticks, but this is not the case. These elements feel like natural extensions to the storyline, the plot progresses exactly as it should and these separate strands are also used to deliver a particularly ballsy message. The implication that a demonic identity is unable to tell the difference between the plundering white men who first settled in the United States and Western soldiers deployed in the Middle East has some very hefty implications when examined a little more closely — just one of a number of extremely brave and intelligent points the film makes, all while never forgetting to entertain.
Of course, the story itself is only as good as the teller and here Friedenberg delivers. The film feels and looks excellent, with cinematographer Harrison Sanborn ensuring that the dank, dripping swampland is shot in a tremendously atmospheric manner. This down and dirty feel is helped no-end by an absolutely brilliant soundtrack of bluesy, country-influenced swaggering rock tracks that add an element of dynamism and darkness to key scenes. I don't often single out the soundtrack when discussing the movies I review here at The House, but this is one so good that it positively DEMANDS to be recognised. It really is superb.
It's not just the work that went into the way Wind Walkers looks and sounds that is worthy of praise. The cast are strong too. 
Holtz (who will be familiar to genre fans for his role as Richie in El Rey's From Dusk 'Til Dawn series) is a handsome lead who manages to keep his emotionally distant, shellshocked character interesting. This is no mean feat.
Powell shines as the love-to-hate-him Sonny. With a role in The Expendables 3 and several upcoming film and TV parts, he looks set to break out as a star very soon. After seeing his work here in Wind Walkers I can very much understand why.
Equally impressive is genre stalwart LaRose. Probably most familiar to horror fans for his work in the first two Insidious movies and playing Troy from Saw III, he has an impressive body of work to his name. Here LaRose gets to play a more sympathetic and human character than I'd seen before and his experience shows as he adds some serious gravitas to proceedings. He's fantastic.

Elsewhere Friedenberg demonstrates that he has talent in front of the camera too, while Twilight's Gordon adds capable support, as does livewire Burke. Meanwhile Apocalypto's Youngblood adds a chilling element to the story with his unhinged and bestial work. He's a real force of nature in the role and makes for a mesmerising screen monster. 

As for the ladies, both Landon and Cooper more than hold their own.
But once again I return to the writing: not just of the plot but in the characterisation. These actors are able to bring the characters to life because the characters are well-rounded and fleshed out enough to give them something to work with. There are a series of complex, believable relationships between the characters and these are where the heart of the story lies. By giving us characters to empathise and believe in, Friedenberg provides an emotional framework upon which to hang his more outlandish, imaginative and intelligent story points. This is where Wind Walkers best hits its mark, with some superb characters engrossed in an atmospheric and thought-provoking plot.

THE WORST BITS (mild spoiler warning): As is so often the case with a movie that is thick with atmosphere, Wind Walkers does sometimes suffer a little with pacing. It may seem strange to say that, especially with so many elements to juggle at once, but now and then some of the key moments lack a little dynamism. There are lengthy scenes in which the characters argue and suspect one another's motives which, unfortunately, do become a little repetitive at times. While I admire compelling and well-rounded character work in genre films, I do wonder if maybe some of these could have been excised or combined to keep the film moving at a brisk pace.
Also, while I enjoyed the eclectic mix of plot lines and genre tropes that made up the basic story for the movie, I do feel that maybe some of them could have been taken to the next level. Some story elements, especially the one hinted at during the closing moments of the film, could have given us a huge and really satisfying climax. Instead Friedenberg et al took their feet off the gas and stepped back, giving us a smaller, more personal ending. I'm sure this was done on purpose — so much of the writing was spot on and excellently crafted that I find it hard to believe there were any accidents in this story-telling process — I think a bigger finish could have hit all the much harder, especially as so much of the film up to that point had been personal and more low-key. Please don't interpret this as criticism of the somewhat open ending Friedenberg gives us — I love a story in which we are left to draw our own conclusions as the end credits start to roll, but I know some people do not find this sort of finale agreeable. If you are one of these, be prepared.
Finally, while the ambition of the film is to be admired, particularly with some of its action set-pieces and its gory visual effects, I do feel that the film was pushed right to very limit of its not inconsiderable budget. Perhaps at times it tried to overreach its means and might have been better off devoting its time to fewer but bigger set pieces. It's not to say that those that were in the movie were poor by any stretch, just that not all of them managed to reach the incredibly high-quality thrills and imagination of the script.

THE VERDICT: Wind Walkers is the sort of film that serious horror fans need to get behind — it shows real intelligence and imagination as it takes what could be familiar plot devices and combines them in such a way as to make everything feel fresh. The cast are great and the screen practically drips with swampy, bluesy atmosphere. With heart and brains, plus some great scares, this is one to catch.

Wind Walkers will be released in the UK on DVD and download on 25th September. In the meantime, check out the film's official Facebook page for more information.

UK readers planning to attend the Film4 FrightFest will be delighted to hear that the film will playing on Discovery Screen 1 on Friday 28th August. 

Read my previous Film4 Frightfest special reviews for Suspension here and The Nightmare here.

If you haven’t already, do please check out and Like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the Internet so you don’t have to! Alternatively, follow me on twitter: The House@HickeysHorrors

Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.