NIGHT OF THE REAPER
A college girl returns home for a weekend and is pulled into babysitting the sheriff’s kid. Meanwhile, the sheriff receives haunting messages from old cases. In the small town of Reedy, something evil is brewing. Shudder Original NIGHT OF THE REAPER is genre throwback greatness.
Deena’s night of watching the sweetest little boy in the history of the profession turns into a living nightmare as things get more frightening by the minute. A hooded figure psychologically torments her while simultaneously sending Arnold on a wild goose chase. Every new clue leads to VHS tapes, each more torturous than the last. 
Opening credits are fantastic. The production design team covers homes with classic ’80s Halloween decorations, and the repeated VHS static filter is chef’s kiss. Every single slasher trope we’ve come to love is utilized to build that creeping sense of dread. The synth score is fantastic. Homages to franchise favorites are endless. Everything from Poltergeist to Halloween, Max’s outfit looks like it’s straight out of Pet Sematery or a nod to Chucky, and the “Kimble, R” buzzer might just be a reference to Australian director Kimble Rendall. 
Casting is delicious. Ben Cockell is outstanding as Chad. Summer H. Howell (Hunter Hunter) sets the scene, while genre regular, the spectacular Keegan Connor Tracy, rounds out the decades of final girl magic. Yes. Yes. Yes. Ryan Robbins gives Sheriff Arnold a down-to-earth quality, whose mournful past becomes the emotional anchor to his frustrations. Robbins is incredible, and I’m glad Christensen gave him such a meaty role. Jessica Clement delivers a nuanced performance as Deena. This is final girl realness. From petrified to powerhouse, Clement gives us her all. It is pure badassery. 
Brandon Christensen, alongside his co-writer brother Ryan, understands how to build suspense while giving horror fans the kills they seek. As a fan of SUPERHOST, I am impressed by this narrative shift again and again. Christensen nails the element of surprise, flipping the script on their head when you least expect it. NIGHT OF THE REAPER is another solid addition to Shudder’s stacked catalog.
Night of the Reaper Trailer:
Available on Shudder September 19th
Directed by Brandon Christensen (STILL/BORN, Z, SUPERHOST)
NIGHT OF THE REAPER Synopsis
In the heart of a quiet, 1980s suburb, college student Deena returns home and reluctantly takes on a last-minute babysitting job. That same night, the local sheriff receives a cryptic package that pulls him into a sinister scavenger hunt that sets off a game of cat and mouse with a dangerous killer. As the clues unravel, Deena finds herself ensnared in a nightmarish mystery that she may not survive.
About the Director
Brandon Christensen is a Canadian film director recognized for his distinctive contributions to the horror genre, focusing on complex familial dynamics, particularly those involving mothers and children. He began his filmmaking journey early in life, making home movies with his siblings, which ignited his passion for storytelling and cinema.
Christensen’s professional career includes notable works such as “Still/Born”, “Z”, and “The Puppetman” – films that explore psychological and supernatural themes against the backdrop of parenting fears. His unique approach often incorporates daytime horror, challenging conventional genre norms to intensify the scare factor, showcasing his knack for crafting compelling narratives from everyday situations.
Director: Brandon Christensen NIGHT OF THE REAPER
Written by: Brandon Christensen and Ryan Christensen
Cast: Jessica Clement, Ryan Robbins, Summer H. Howell, Keegan Connor Tracy, Matty Finochio, Max Christensen, Ben Cockell, David Feehan
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Language: English
Runtime: 93 min
Thomas Walton‘s CAMP PLEASANT LAKE centers around a horror camp created based on a 20-year-old legend of a missing child and the brutal murder of her family on their way to the very same camp.
Christopher Sky is the former vile camper turned Camp of Terror counselor, Mike. He is a sufficient asshole and you will revel in his inevitable demise. Jonathan Lipnicki is hands down the best part of CAMP PLEASANT LAKE. His unfettered commitment to the role is genuinely awesome.
It is evident the film is made by genre fans. Practical fx are bloody good, even if the pace and dialogue drag. The kills get better as the plot rolls along. I did wish the variety of attendees had been more eclectic. At $10k each, I was looking for fewer numbers and more development of these characters because the possibilities were endless.
THAT’S A WRAP
Award-winning director Marcel Walz’s upcoming horror/thriller THAT’S A WRAP is scheduled to release on digital platforms on August 25th, 2023 from Quiver Distribution. Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever), Monique T. Parent (Jurassic City), Sarah French (Space Wars: The Quest for Deepstar), Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), and Dave Sheridan (The Devil’s Rejects) star in a film written by Joe Knetter and Robert L. Lucas.
The cast of a film arrive to a wrap party, but someone has dressed up as the slasher in the film, and begins to stage their own kill scenes. One by one, the cast disappear until the true nature of the evening is revealed.
Joe Knetter, Marcel Walz, and Sarah French produce, with BJ Mezek, Andreas Tremmel, Justus Heinz, Yazid Benfeghoul, Tina Limbeck, Robert L. Lucas, and Kai E. Bogatzki executive producing.
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