I watched it last night and was pleasantly surprised with how bloody/gory the film is. the gore is 100% practical and it's fantastic/well done. Barbara Crampton is excellent as an antagonist (that's not a spoiler since it's in the trailer). Brea Grant is very good too and kick ass as the mother trying to save her family.
my only complaint about it is the storyline is incredibly stupid and makes little to no sense. it also has an idiotic fake tv show (a Dateline/Crime story type show on the actual family in the film) within the movie which i hated. LOL.
but again the blood/gore is so full on that it makes up for it. you have decapitations, arms cut off, branches stabbed into eyes/faces, etc. etc. there's even a full on transformation complete with those special fx facial bladder things (like in THE HOWLING). bad storyline aside this movie is a fun 80's style film that fans of practical FX gore/blood will get a kick out of!
34 Reviews
Like witches... But not...
TBnTN5 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
So this was a story about a family with a terminal dad and a friend going to a 'special' cabin in the 'woods'. And an evil grandmother (dad's mom, who later gives an oh so sweet interview about everything on a crime show) who was a part of an otherworldly/demon type cult. None of the killing made sense - chaos - TVs in the woods running on special 'power' that shows the future. These old demon/geezers stay alive by facilitating death and making women governors - how else could a woman win Oregon right? Was it all an illusion? Is Mom crazy? The bodies are held for account by locals as they show us baby pictures of the victims - for what - THIS is the horror and EVERYBODY gets bloody and UGLY! This Mom kicks her demon possessed daughter in her head then cuts it off, then her husband's, then the son's and sets them on fire - cause everybody got possessed by a nasty looking little alien/demon/parasite thing that the gubernatorial candidate slams in their brain stem or makes them ingest and granny says this will 'set them free'. Is Mom crazy! And nobody can find the pretty, blonde friend that came with the family. Oh, she's in the snowy woods transforming to an UGLY something! Wtf!? Everybody got possessed and the original lady they found in the woods, dead, can disappear. So Mom's crazy right? The music was beautiful... How about that? #AxeMom
Gory with zero plot
pdt125829 July 2018
If you asked me what this movie was about I'm not sure I could tell you. The acting is good so it's definitely not for lack of trying on the actors' part. The tv show within the movie is absolutely pointless. It distracts from what's going on, not that it matters because nothing is ever explained. It's like the writers had five or six good ideas and tried to stick them all into one movie, absolutely failing in execution. Surely someone in production at some point could tell this movie was going to suck because of the plot. I just wished they'd have spoken up and saved me about 90 minutes. I love horror movies but after watching so many terrible ones lately I'm about to give up on them.
Atrocious
HaenkelFlux23 August 2020
Better movies out there to watch - like almost anything...
meneermalik-116 December 2018
Well, where to begin?! I have to say that the trailer looked decent and it pretty much goes downhill from there. No real direction or point to it. Things are not really explained though it's obvious they were hoping for a sequel.
The biggest thing that ruins this movie is the true crime documentary style show that pops in throughout the movie. There really is no point to it as it doesn't lead to anything and not only that but it tells you what's going to happen (mostly) and who dies and who survives about 15 minutes into the movie so from that point on there really isn't any point to continue watching the movie.
A bad horror movie has pretty much one thing going for it and that's trying to figure out who dies and how. Take that away and you might as well watch paint dry.
There's nothing here to redeem this mess of a movie so put this movie in the "never watch" pile.
The biggest thing that ruins this movie is the true crime documentary style show that pops in throughout the movie. There really is no point to it as it doesn't lead to anything and not only that but it tells you what's going to happen (mostly) and who dies and who survives about 15 minutes into the movie so from that point on there really isn't any point to continue watching the movie.
A bad horror movie has pretty much one thing going for it and that's trying to figure out who dies and how. Take that away and you might as well watch paint dry.
There's nothing here to redeem this mess of a movie so put this movie in the "never watch" pile.
A snooze with messy story telling
rasull-ramad12 August 2018
I don't usually write reviews. But this one is so bad that I feel the need to write one. This movie plays out like in a slow mo. Bad editing. Bad direction. It's too bad that the quality of the production and acting is top notch. Just let down by poor vision of the director. The tv re enactment bits was so amateurish and again loose.. plays like slowmo. And the timeline between the now and the tv documentary is confusing... a re write and a better director would make this watchable. As it is now it's a mis opportunity
In the dark of the night
TheLittleSongbird2 October 2018
'Dead Night' did intrigue me, with a creepy poster/cover, a fine premise and as someone with a general appreciation for the genre it fits under. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there (though there are decent to good ones as well), made me though apprehensive.
It is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws present in those films are here, that to me was incredibly disappointing considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. 'Dead Night' is very weak, with so many huge flaws and doesn't do anything with any potential it had. Good things are few.
Best thing about the film is the acting, which is above average and in some cases quite good. The setting has some atmosphere and there are a few sporadic effective shots. They are the only things however that struck me as halfway decent here.
Going on to the negatives, the story does feel over-stretched and some of it comes over as vague and under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less unsettled and never gaining momentum. All the characters are too sketchy and with cardboard thin and colourless personalities and with nowhere near enough to make one want to endear to them. Their annoying and illogical decision making and behaviours frustrates.
The sound quality is obvious and utilised cheaply (being too loud in the build ups and people's reactions) and the effects are shoddy.
Dialogue can be stilted and rambling while the pace and film drags on forever, apparent from the very start, never recovering that interest is lost fast. The ending has no build-up and just ends ridiculously. Found too many of the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense. Thrills are none, thanks to stodginess, knowing too much too early and excessive over-familiarity, and found myself never invested in the drama, which tended to be indifferently acted, interminably paced and statically directed.
A lot of 'Dead Night' has really dull and going nowhere plot elements and often nonsensical and confusing character motivations, while too many of the things to make you shocked are far from creative or unsettling. It all feels rather tame while the threat completely lacks menace and looks terrible.
Nothing freaky or interesting, no development and too derivative, while everything is unimaginative and are more odd than scary, completely failing to show any sense of dread. There is nothing interesting or illuminating with what the film was trying to do and the drama is overwrought with no momentum and a lot of weirdness. The direction is barely there and disorganised and the music is ill-fitting. 'Dead Night' is very amateurish visually, too drearily lit and shows no care in the way it's shot.
Concluding, weak. 3/10 Bethany Cox
It is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws present in those films are here, that to me was incredibly disappointing considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. 'Dead Night' is very weak, with so many huge flaws and doesn't do anything with any potential it had. Good things are few.
Best thing about the film is the acting, which is above average and in some cases quite good. The setting has some atmosphere and there are a few sporadic effective shots. They are the only things however that struck me as halfway decent here.
Going on to the negatives, the story does feel over-stretched and some of it comes over as vague and under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less unsettled and never gaining momentum. All the characters are too sketchy and with cardboard thin and colourless personalities and with nowhere near enough to make one want to endear to them. Their annoying and illogical decision making and behaviours frustrates.
The sound quality is obvious and utilised cheaply (being too loud in the build ups and people's reactions) and the effects are shoddy.
Dialogue can be stilted and rambling while the pace and film drags on forever, apparent from the very start, never recovering that interest is lost fast. The ending has no build-up and just ends ridiculously. Found too many of the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense. Thrills are none, thanks to stodginess, knowing too much too early and excessive over-familiarity, and found myself never invested in the drama, which tended to be indifferently acted, interminably paced and statically directed.
A lot of 'Dead Night' has really dull and going nowhere plot elements and often nonsensical and confusing character motivations, while too many of the things to make you shocked are far from creative or unsettling. It all feels rather tame while the threat completely lacks menace and looks terrible.
Nothing freaky or interesting, no development and too derivative, while everything is unimaginative and are more odd than scary, completely failing to show any sense of dread. There is nothing interesting or illuminating with what the film was trying to do and the drama is overwrought with no momentum and a lot of weirdness. The direction is barely there and disorganised and the music is ill-fitting. 'Dead Night' is very amateurish visually, too drearily lit and shows no care in the way it's shot.
Concluding, weak. 3/10 Bethany Cox
It's not that bad
r_manmdy15 April 2019
I got curious after reading all the negative comments online about this movie. And after watching it I have to say, it's not that bad.
Ok, I understand that the story and the plot are vague and it leaves many questions. But to give it such bad ratings and reviews is a bit out. There are movies that are way worse than this and yes, also better.
It's not a masterpiece and won't be a favorite. But it still has some descent acting, descent fx, nice cinematography and atmosphere.
Watching this movie is the horror aspect!
vikkiburns4 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I do watch some trash, but I generally get a level of something - even if it's poor acting or a shoddy storyline, there's usually something you can grip onto. I just finished watching this and I have no idea what it was about or what happened. The last thing I understood was a family trip to some woods and the family found a woman outside who took advantages of their hospitality, drinking their milk. I've rewound it, paused it, read up on it, asked other people about it. I'm still none the wiser. Don't waste your life on this - watching the movie is a horror in itself.
It was definitely not as bad as these other reviews make it sound
ichoosethelight9 October 2019
Yes there were alot of things that could have been done better, but the story was solid, but there was definitely somethings lost in translation. The actors were great and the plot was good. The director was obviously new to this. The other reviews you read that trash the film should give it a try and see how they're reviewed. Every person giving a nasty review thinks their Francis Ford Coppela or something
I feel as if... something's missing...
kingcaleb-7159324 March 2019
It starts off in a beautiful setting with decent imagery, acceptable characters and a unique concept. The practical effects on the monsters and transformations were amazing, and loved the gore.
It starts off with a family traveling to a remote cabin up in the snowy mountains, think of a supernatural slasher with monster like elements.
My main problem was how confusing the plot was, and everything kind of ended outta no where. The action we get is decent tho, but it lacks a GOOD explanation of what was going on and why.
But I dug it, recommend it if you got nothing else to do with your time.
Dead Night? Dead boring...
tattoopig2 August 2018
I don't know what this film was trying to be - fake documentary, monster in the woods, slasher, psycho.... What I DO know is it failed on all counts. The acting was just too terrible, the characters totally unbelievable (that upbeat father was meant to be dying of cancer!), the editing really bad, the violence too staged....ok the outdoor lighting was great.
I really wanted to like this film because the opening scene is gnarly as hell. Pity it all goes to s%$# from there.
I do not get it.
miss-sussex28 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The Pollak family is targeted by an ambitious witch turn politician. The mother (I assume) who is the only survivor is accused of the murder of the family. Really there is so much going on in this film. I caught the tail end of it the first round and was a bit freaked out. This time I saw more and really .... I am still confused yet freaked out. You will come out of this wondering what did you watch. It just doesn't make sense. I suppose it is a commentary on how people with families are no match for witches with political ambition. I don't know....
If you are bored and want to be entertained then watch this. Otherwise save your money and catch it on TV like I did.
If you are bored and want to be entertained then watch this. Otherwise save your money and catch it on TV like I did.
Opportunity squandered: good visuals hampered by weak storytelling
mariusar31 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
As is often the case, the wildly varying imdb reviews fail to hit the mark. Dead Night is a fairly well-shot, supernatural horror flick containing some better-than-low-budget visuals, creature effects and gore. It's just that the production team forgot one key point when making a film:
It's the story, stupid.
Not going to dissect Dark Night here - a couple of other reviewers have done a pretty good job there already. Still, for me, this is certainly not a "9" but is equally not a "2". The criticisms about the near complete lack of a storytelling narrative are not unfounded. This is a film that desperately needed a singular storytelling voice.
The truth then, as usual, is somewhere in the middle. This one gets a pretty strong "5" from me for the look and feel alone. Plus a few non-cringeworthy performances.
Oh, and Barbara Crampton does a fine job as well.
It's the story, stupid.
Not going to dissect Dark Night here - a couple of other reviewers have done a pretty good job there already. Still, for me, this is certainly not a "9" but is equally not a "2". The criticisms about the near complete lack of a storytelling narrative are not unfounded. This is a film that desperately needed a singular storytelling voice.
The truth then, as usual, is somewhere in the middle. This one gets a pretty strong "5" from me for the look and feel alone. Plus a few non-cringeworthy performances.
Oh, and Barbara Crampton does a fine job as well.
Dead movie
takato052417 March 2021
Every movie I've seen aj bowen in I've hated him. He's not a good actor. And usually that's a sign that the movie is going to suck. And this one did. You know everything 15 minutes in because the movie literally tells you with their weird true crime show within the movie. Who's idea was that? It was terrible. Things aren't explained. You can't even piece together what happened because nothing flows. Such a waste of a decent budget.
THEORY TIME! (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
cmhealey-6556522 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER!
THEORY TIME! ---Casey is the killer the whole time. her belief in mysticism is clearly established at the beginning, so she BELIEVES all the "witch stuff" is happening, BUT, the only "bad guys" she actually sees are either her family, people shes already met, or people she has seen on television. Casey was in the woods, not Leslie. her husband demands to know WHY she was in the woods, not where did she come from. when Casey thinks shes stabbing Leslie, its actually her husband, so clearly Leslie isn't there; Casey imagines all kinds of crazy stuff because she's nuts. when Casey asks Mika how she can "bring them back" Mika says "you cant"; Casey is covered in blood so Mika knows Casey has killed her family. When Casey sees the "future" on the witches TV, its after her family is dead. Casey has trouble discerning WHEN and IN WHAT ORDER each event has taken place, because again, shes crazy...i liked this movie a lot...
THEORY TIME! ---Casey is the killer the whole time. her belief in mysticism is clearly established at the beginning, so she BELIEVES all the "witch stuff" is happening, BUT, the only "bad guys" she actually sees are either her family, people shes already met, or people she has seen on television. Casey was in the woods, not Leslie. her husband demands to know WHY she was in the woods, not where did she come from. when Casey thinks shes stabbing Leslie, its actually her husband, so clearly Leslie isn't there; Casey imagines all kinds of crazy stuff because she's nuts. when Casey asks Mika how she can "bring them back" Mika says "you cant"; Casey is covered in blood so Mika knows Casey has killed her family. When Casey sees the "future" on the witches TV, its after her family is dead. Casey has trouble discerning WHEN and IN WHAT ORDER each event has taken place, because again, shes crazy...i liked this movie a lot...
Good gore, poor plot stuck within a good idea
jackmeat7 October 2019
My quick rating - 4,9/10. Have you ever wondered how the news is going to report some supernatural, witch like massacre that occurs at a cabin in the woods (as always)? Well, this movie tries to give you just that, the way the media would report it, and how it actually happened. Pretty clever idea as this movie runs with the supernatural reality happening, while on the tv is a "true crimes" type show showing the case at the same time. The only real problem is with a nice idea like this, you really should craft a good story to do this with. The story itself just wasn't captivating enough to make the novel approach to telling it worth it. They did do a good job with the gore to keep you entertained though. Definitely sits on the "so close" bar of what could've been a really good flick. If you want to see a decent family gets slaughtered for no apparent reason movie, and don't mind the plot really not being explained in the slightest (the real plot, not the tv show plot) than you'll be fine with this one. Kept my attention after it got rolling, I just kept hoping for a bit more.
A enjoyable hot mess
geeklegionofdoom29 July 2018
Apparently this film underwent heavy re editing just before release. As such it suffers with a nonsense story .
The basic premise is a family of four along with a friend of he daughter travel to a remote cabin in the woods with the promise of the areas holistic properties . Once there they seemingly discover an unconscious woman in the snow, and take her back which leads to dire supernatural consequences.
On the plus side, it's beautifully shot. The lighting , camera work , sound design and music are all top notch. It's quickly paced and gets straight into the action. There are some truly creepy creature designs, practical gore and violent kills. The cast does a mostly good job, with one notable exception of a scene where the mother deals with whats happened to her family .
On the negative side, the film does a poor job of guiding the audience about whats going on in regards to the supernatural elements. Characters just seem to show up out of nowhere, very little or no explanation of what creatures are, their purpose or what they are actually needing victims for. We get a brief exposition dump in regards to Barbara Crampton's character.
Also a pet peev of mine, is where at the or near the beginning of a movie, it will show you scenes of what happens at the end of the story and then goes back in time and tell the story via a kind of flashback. It completely undercuts tension as you already know the fate of most characters, and therefore you are just waiting for them to die. This movie kind of does that , by having scenes involving a true crime style TV show giving you the 'official' version of whats happened. Even though events play out differently in the movie compared to whats shown on this faux TV show , it still reveals characters fates and therefore the same issue.
I feel in an attempt to be clever the film makers have done themselves an injustice, and would have benefited in telling the story in a more traditional narrative and spent more time setting up more context for whats going on. However what we do see on screen is well done and great effects and shot really well
lol lame
Der_Schnibbler3 February 2019
Absolutely enjoyable and entertaining entry
kannibalcorpsegrinder30 July 2018
Traveling out to the woods, a family renting a cabin-in-the-woods to help heal a fallen family member find that the mysterious intruder they find in the woods is harboring far more demonic and deadly secrets than they expected and turns their weekend into a nightmarish struggle to survive.
This was a rather fun and overall enjoyable effort. One of the most impressive elements featured here is the way this one manages to weave together a truly gripping and somewhat creative storyline together. The central concept of the visit out to the remote cabin which is a dual-ended setup with the real-time layout of the trip and the concurrent TV-show presentation looking back over the incident in the past-tense. This is wholly unique and enjoyable with the entire concept taking a rather inventive series of twists and turns as this plays out but overall coming off with a stellar concept. Once this dives into the more overt supernatural aspects of the storyline, this one has a lot of fun playing up the antics of the past. By turning into a rather fun mixture between supernatural entity, home invasion-styled slasher and a killer-in-the-woods style effort, this mix provides wholly engaging and frantic ideas here. The fantastic early setup here, from the pre-credits attack on the couple in the woods to the startling first shot of the possessed going crazy in the dining room taking out the first members of the group and getting in some great action with several brawls to get them under control while the hysteria and freakouts are genuinely featured. Even employing the demonic body-hopping concept in fine form here with the scenes of the various possessed family members turning and contorting into vicious demon-like beings has a lot to like in that regard which makes this one of the best scenes in the film. With that scene setting the stage for the terrific final half, that ratchets up the tension really nicely by turning the action into a fun series of setpieces not only around the cabin but also the surrounding woods. With the turned demonic beings hunting down and targeting the remaining members in several brief and somewhat enjoyable confrontations that are given far more weight once the big showdown occurs which manages to offer up a truly stellar finale with her going around confronting the various demonic beings which has a lot of great action and vicious gore on offer. Playing into the twist with the need for the TV show coverage and how that turned around on her that has a great final reveal full of fantastic practical effects that sell this incredibly well. Overall, these here are what makes for a great time over it's few minor flaws. Among the main problems to be had with this one is the overall confusing nature of the storyline on the first watch, as there's no real preparation here for the dual nature of what's going on. It's somewhat distracting to notice that the main storyline detailing the events of this family's encounter in the woods is sometimes interrupted by the true-crime story about the events which are over-the-top dramatization about her as if what's going on is common knowledge. The way it turns that setup into the full twist around gives this a kind of odd tone that really undermines the twist by giving it away from the beginning ruins a lot of what's going on. As well as the slightly abrupt running time that could've offered a bit more detailing the purpose of the group and what they're about, these here are all that hold this back.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and underage smoking.
This was a rather fun and overall enjoyable effort. One of the most impressive elements featured here is the way this one manages to weave together a truly gripping and somewhat creative storyline together. The central concept of the visit out to the remote cabin which is a dual-ended setup with the real-time layout of the trip and the concurrent TV-show presentation looking back over the incident in the past-tense. This is wholly unique and enjoyable with the entire concept taking a rather inventive series of twists and turns as this plays out but overall coming off with a stellar concept. Once this dives into the more overt supernatural aspects of the storyline, this one has a lot of fun playing up the antics of the past. By turning into a rather fun mixture between supernatural entity, home invasion-styled slasher and a killer-in-the-woods style effort, this mix provides wholly engaging and frantic ideas here. The fantastic early setup here, from the pre-credits attack on the couple in the woods to the startling first shot of the possessed going crazy in the dining room taking out the first members of the group and getting in some great action with several brawls to get them under control while the hysteria and freakouts are genuinely featured. Even employing the demonic body-hopping concept in fine form here with the scenes of the various possessed family members turning and contorting into vicious demon-like beings has a lot to like in that regard which makes this one of the best scenes in the film. With that scene setting the stage for the terrific final half, that ratchets up the tension really nicely by turning the action into a fun series of setpieces not only around the cabin but also the surrounding woods. With the turned demonic beings hunting down and targeting the remaining members in several brief and somewhat enjoyable confrontations that are given far more weight once the big showdown occurs which manages to offer up a truly stellar finale with her going around confronting the various demonic beings which has a lot of great action and vicious gore on offer. Playing into the twist with the need for the TV show coverage and how that turned around on her that has a great final reveal full of fantastic practical effects that sell this incredibly well. Overall, these here are what makes for a great time over it's few minor flaws. Among the main problems to be had with this one is the overall confusing nature of the storyline on the first watch, as there's no real preparation here for the dual nature of what's going on. It's somewhat distracting to notice that the main storyline detailing the events of this family's encounter in the woods is sometimes interrupted by the true-crime story about the events which are over-the-top dramatization about her as if what's going on is common knowledge. The way it turns that setup into the full twist around gives this a kind of odd tone that really undermines the twist by giving it away from the beginning ruins a lot of what's going on. As well as the slightly abrupt running time that could've offered a bit more detailing the purpose of the group and what they're about, these here are all that hold this back.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and underage smoking.
Pretty good horror flick
danmoskal10 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I saw the movie in Chicago, after they edited the film. The movie cuts back and forth between what really happened to the family in the cabin and a reality TV true crime program about the deaths. The reality TV part was reduced, which was probably a good idea. The supernatural aspect of the movie isn't very clear, they need to flesh that out with some additional scenes. It's only 80 minutes long, so that is feasible.
Weird, Confusing Supernatural Horror!
gwnightscream2 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This 2017 horror film tells of a woman who travels with her family to a secluded house in the woods where a nightmare unfolds. She begins to
see evil people/things testing her sanity in which her family becomes possessed and murdered. This is a weird, confusing film, the cast isn't that good, except for the lovely, Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, From Beyond) whom is featured, but there's gruesome make-up effects, nice yet eerie scenery/settings and chilling score. If you're a fan of horror or supernatural horror flicks, this may be up your alley.
One of the worst movies I've ever seen
tcbest14 January 2019
All these bad reviews made me curious
florence-190434 August 2019
I always wonder how truly bad movies get funded and made. Somebody owed someone a favor. I'm now going to sit through the whole thing again but awake this time. I'm wishing it will get to the level of "so bad it's good" like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes
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