Review ‘The Long Night’: The Search for Family Turns into a Night of Survival

The Long Night is now playing in theaters and available digitally. Reader Beware Spoilers Ahead!

Small town secrets, mysterious cults, and a journey for personal growth go horribly wrong in the new supernatural thriller The Long Night. The film was directed by Rich Ragsdale from a script by Mark Young and Robert Sheppe. Starring Scout Taylor-Compton (Halloween 2007), Nolan Gerard Funk (‘The Flight Attendant’), Deborah Kara Unger (The Game), and Jeff Fahey (Lost).

Grace (Taylor-Compton) has a promising lead on the whereabouts of the parents she’s never met. Wanting to get out of the city and not wanting Grace to go alone as she’s faced disappointment before in her search, her boyfriend Jack (Funk) decides to accompany her on the trip. With an ominous score and aerial shots of the couple making their way into the unknown landscape, one can’t help but reference the opening images of The Shining. 

It’s clear from the get-go our heroes are in for some trouble. Mysterious symbols are scratched onto random surfaces while oddly designed totems are hidden amongst the property and roadside, only adding to the unease in which they find themselves. When their contact, Mr. Caldwell, is a no-show, they let themselves into his plantation house to wait for his arrival.

As the night draws near, phones disappear or stop working, no Mr. Caldwell, and an accident befalls Grace leaving her impaired. Jack decides it’s time to go as something feels very wrong. It’s then a group of masked individuals show up on the lawn, torches in hand, and light a flaming symbol outside the residence. They are basically a Satanic version of the Klu Klux Klan. Realizing they’re not going to escape the intruders; they secure the house to make their stand.

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Set on fulfilling a prophecy, the cult Master (Unger) will not rest until they have secured what they came for, thus freeing their demon lord from his centuries of imprisonment. Grace and Jack must somehow make it until dawn or become a sacrifice to the Serpent.

With films like The Wicker Man, Dead and Buried, and Hot Fuzz, which have similar themes, there is always the perception of acceptance towards Grace, the outsider, this of course is a ruse, and the results are never pleasant in the end. With The Long Night, the foreboding and unease of the surroundings are apparent from the moment the couple arrives in town. The townsfolk are unpleasant and unwelcoming, and it’s like the joke that everyone is in on except you.

Director Rich Ragsdale’s music video history is apparent throughout. Numerous moments such as dream sequences, possession visions, and flashbacks are played out with only the visuals and score to guide us. This evokes emotions and suggests backstory, which feels more complex than simply having it spoon-fed with words. The elaborate camera moves mixed with trippy special effects elevate the cult’s cosmic nature and was an unexpected bonus not often seen in films of this nature.

Scout Taylor-Compton goes on quite an emotional journey here. I believe there isn’t a single emotion she doesn’t portray at some point. Taylor-Compton gives her all physically as well, and it’s clear she had a few bruises and a sore throat (a lot of screaming going on) to show off when filming wrapped. The gender reversal in making her the protector was a breath of fresh air, and she pulled it off in strides.

Nolan Gerard Funk as Jack, plays a character in two worlds and hasn’t yet decided where he truly belongs. In the first half of the film, he tends to shift from being the supportive boyfriend to a selfish jerk. Perhaps intentional as we’re led to believe that he will sell out Grace to save himself. Lines stating, he is a blackbelt, never pay off as he gets his teeth knocked in during every fight. I kept waiting for his big fight scene that never came. His best work begins when Jeff Fahey, who is fantastic here, enters the picture. I could watch the two of them verbally spar all day.

The Long Night is, at its cores, a movie about family. Being rejected by Jack’s parents drives Grace more and more to find her own roots, despite the consequences or red flags. It sets itself apart from the usual home invasion troupes with heavy supernatural and folk undertones. I think genre fans will enjoy this one. Visually impressive, darkly humorous, heavy on gore and violence with an ending you won’t see coming. 3/5

★★★

You can check out the trailer for The Long Night below and the film is now in theaters, digital and VOD. Have you watched The Long Night already? Leave a comment below and let us know what you thought of the film!Be sure to follow ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi and more.

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