With the glut of horror films coming out on a near weekly
basis these days it is rare to find a movie that is original, scary and that
gives you the willies at the same time. There have been a number in the past
year that critics have hailed as doing so but for me they were still lacking.
So when I came across a small, independent horror film that made me cringe
every now and then you can bet it was one I couldn’t wait to recommend.
LAST SHIFT starts off as a regular movie, almost a tribute
to films like ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 and RIO BRAVO. Rookie cop Jessica Loren
(Juliana Harkavy) gets her first assignment, to man the closing precinct
station on its last night in business. Her first odd encounter is with the
sergeant in charge turning it over to her. To say he acts a bit off is an
understatement. He informs her that all incoming calls have been directed to
the new station, that a bio team will be there in the morning to pick up the
remaining evidence packets on hand and that all she has to do is watch the
building in case someone comes to the door. Simple, right?
But things don’t go as planned. To begin with, Jessica hears
strange noises coming from the building. But then every old building makes
noise. Her phone rings and it’s a young woman claiming that her life is in
danger, that she just escaped from someone. Before she can get a location the
line cuts off. Jessica calls the new precinct and they tell her to get the
location next time.
During the night a homeless man turns up at the door.
Jessica lets him in and he returns to favor by using the front area as a
urinal. She takes him down and locks him in a cell, returning to her desk.
Along the way she still hears more noises. On occasion when she hears these
sounds and goes to investigate, we the viewer see strange things over her
shoulder. But when Jessica turns, there is nothing there. It’s an unnerving
image used throughout that keeps the viewer on their toes.
There is something strange going on in this precinct that
Jessica is unaware of and it isn’t until late in the film it’s revealed but by
that time we have a clue what it is. A year prior to this night the leader of a
local cult was brought in and locked up along with several of his followers.
The cult was one that killed people and once they were locked up things
happened that are left unexplained to this day. Has someone snuck into the
precinct to use the legend of this cult to their advantage or is something more
malevolent going on? Not only that, Jessica eventually gets a call from her father
during the night telling her to stay at her station. Except that her father, a
decorated police officer himself, has been dead for a while now.
The movie uses the claustrophobic nature of being trapped
inside a building you have no ability to leave to its advantage. The same holds
true with a character who is responsible and takes her duty seriously. Jessica
may want to leave but her job, her first job as an officer, is to stay and
defend the building from anyone who might try to do something to it. But in
fulfilling her duty she may end up becoming nothing more than another part of
the legend of the building, another stain on the wall.
Harkavy, an actress with only 23 roles under her belt (one
of those being on THE WALKING DEAD) does a remarkable job here. While there are
others actors on view she takes up the majority of screen time here. If she
wasn’t a capable actress it would make the part unbelievable. Trust me when I
say that before this night is over you will believe that she is indeed Officer Jessica
Loren and you will sympathize with her predicament.
The movie has some well-done special effects but those are
the centerpiece of the story. They heighten what comes near the end and in
various moments but it is the story itself that holds our interest. The old
adage that showing less makes something all the more scary holds true here. As
someone who’s seen tons of horror films let me say that this one had me on the
edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. Of course that was a seat
well clear of the TV screen so I didn’t jump too far.
While major studios spend tons of money to make the next big
blockbuster film with the intent of scaring you, the fact is they’re more
focused on remakes and sequels, movies that you pretty much know what to expect
while watching. Not so with this film. It’s one movie that’s as original as
they come. That makes it not just a gem of a film but a movie that will haunt
your dreams after the final credits roll.
Click here to order.
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