Just when you think the haunted hotel/motel premise has been milked dry, along comes a film like Night Shift to remind you that a spooky location and an ingenious premise can still send chills down your spine. From the directors known as The China Brothers, this lean 82-minute horror-thriller wastes no time transporting viewers to the rundown, taxidermy-adorned All Tucked Inn – a remote motel that seems ripped straight out of a Hitchcockian nightmare. As the film’s hapless heroine Gwen Taylor (Phoebe Tonkin) begins her first ill-advised overnight shift, what starts as a quiet evening of manning the front desk descends into an unrelentingly tense night of spectral encounters and life-or-death stakes. With nods to genre classics like Psycho and expert control of its claustrophobic setting, Night Shift overcomes some narrative familiarity to emerge as a slickly crafted and legitimately unsettling little chiller.
Part of what makes Night Shift so effective is its embracing of horror simplicity. There are no extended backstories or convoluted mythology to wade through. It’s just Gwen alone in the dead of night as strange occurrences start piling up – ghostly apparitions, a menacingly circling vehicle, intimations of the motel’s grisly past. The China Brothers’ script leans on these spooky happenings and escalating dread to create a palpably nerve-racking atmosphere. And in the midst of the encroaching supernatural threats, there also looms the very real, very human danger personified by a violent escaped convict from Gwen’s own tragic past.
Tonkin proves to be an immensely likable and sympathetic final girl to root for amidst the growing peril. While she initially comes across as the prototypical damsel frequently found in these sorts of genre outings, Tonkin imbues Gwen with a relatable vulnerability and grit that makes you invest in her survival. The same can be said for the entire cast of Night Shift – though the characters may seem roughly sketched on the surface, the actors bring an authenticity that makes you care about who makes it through the harrowing night. With its retro motel setting, slasher film flourishes, and a smattering of sly dark humor, the film wears its influences proudly while still managing to forge its own unique, edgy identity.
Where Night Shift really excels is in its patient, methodical pacing and ever-intensifying atmosphere of dread. The China Brothers exhibit admirable restraint in their script, allowing the inherent creepiness of the rundown All Tucked Inn setting and immersive sound design to do much of the anxiety-inducing heavy lifting before any overt supernatural occurrences manifest. The motel’s dimly lit hallways, flickering neon signs, and ominous taxidermy decorations create a palpably unsettling vibe from the outset.
When the otherworldly manifestations do start to occur, they land with brutal, startling effectiveness. From ghostly figures ominously materializing in the shadows to grisly makeup effects that wouldn’t be out of place in an R-rated slasher, Night Shift doesn’t hold back on the visceral horror elements. A sequence involving a sinkhole in the motel’s drained swimming pool is a particular standout, executed with a slow-burn creepiness that will have audiences’ skin crawling.
Yet for all its serious horror bona fides, the film smartly leavens the pervasive tension with flashes of sharply-written dark humor. Much of this comes courtesy of the prickly guests, like a cantankerous older man and his put-upon wife, that the increasingly frazzled Gwen has to deal with over the course of her nightmarish shift. These humorous asides allow for momentary reprieves from the escalating supernatural dread, while also imbuing the world with a lived-in, credible quality.
The script, penned by the China Brothers, also keeps the audience constantly guessing by blurring the lines between what’s paranormal and what may simply be the product of human psychosis or violence. Is the mysterious car that keeps circling the motel driven by a malevolent spirit or a very real, very dangerous threat? Gwen’s own tragic backstory, involving the escape of a convicted murderer, continually casts doubt over whether the threats she’s facing are otherworldly or all too corporeal in nature.
Not every element of Night Shift works as seamlessly as it could, however. Some of the more outlandish plot swerves in the final act, while certainly bold creative swings, veer perilously close to well-trodden slasher movie clichés that may leave some viewers feeling like they’ve been down this path many times before. And while the vast majority of the supernatural shocks are highly effective pieces of cinematic craftsmanship, there are a few cheap audio sting jump moments that feel like transparently easy ways to jolt the audience.
The cast, led by the immensely likable Phoebe Tonkin as the sympathetic final girl Gwen, elevates the material considerably. Tonkin charts an admirable character arc, beginning as the prototypical damsel in distress before slowly revealing layers of vulnerability, determination, and hard-won self-reliance as the night progresses. She’s ably supported by Lamorne Morris as the eccentric but well-meaning motel owner Teddy, who lends some much-needed levity early on, and Madison Hu as the enigmatic young motel guest Alice.
Minor quibbles aside, Night Shift remains a superbly crafted little horror gem that takes a familiar premise and executes it with technical skill and narrative ingenuity. With its lush cinematography by — that luxuriates in the seedy motel’s nostalgic production design, an immersive and artfully disquieting sound design, and a strong ensemble of lived-in performances, it transcends its modest haunted building conceit to create a palpably frightening big screen experience.
For horror fans starving for an efficiently lean, mean little chiller, the terrors that await during the nightshift at the All Tucked Inn are well worth clocking in for. The China Brothers announce themselves as an exciting new voice in horror with a feverishly creative debut that, even when it doesn’t all work, is still admirable for its audacious narrative swings and skillful command of sheer moment-to-moment tension. Check in and discover the waking nightmare for yourself.
Minor quibbles aside, Night Shift remains a superbly crafted little horror gem that takes a familiar premise and executes it with technical skill and narrative ingenuity. With its lush cinematography that luxuriates in the seedy motel’s nostalgic production design, an immersive and artfully disquieting sound design, and a strong ensemble of lived-in performances, it transcends its modest haunted building conceit to create a palpably frightening big screen experience.
For horror fans starving for an efficiently lean, mean little chiller, the terrors that await during the nightshift at the All Tucked Inn are well worth clocking in for. The China Brothers announce themselves as an exciting new voice in horror with a feverishly creative debut that, even when it doesn’t all work, is still admirable for its audacious narrative swings and skillful command of sheer moment-to-moment tension. Check in and discover the waking nightmare for yourself.
Overall Rating: 8/10
Night Shift makes the most of its simple haunted motel premise through outstanding technical craftsmanship and a command of sustained dread. While some plot turns veer into overly familiar slasher territory, the film’s strengths – the eerie retro atmosphere, shocking supernatural set pieces, dark humor, and strong performances – outweigh its few missteps.
For a lean 82-minute horror thriller, it maintains tension from start-to-finish with expert pacing and sound design. The China Brothers debut establishes them as filmmakers to watch in the genre through sheer storytelling ambition and skillful control of cinematic craft. For folks looking for a scary good time at the movies, punch in and experience the nightmarish frights of Night Shift.
