- Director: The China Brothers
- Writers: The China Brothers
- Stars: Phoebe Tonkin, Lamorne Morris, Madison Hu, Patrick Fischler, Lauren Bowles, Christopher Denham
REVIEW
If you ever watched Straight-To-Video horror films in the 90s and early 2000s, Night Shift will remind you of that time. That isn’t an insult because some of the better horror films used to be found there, but it is more the vibe of film. The writers and directors, The China Brothers (Paul and Ben), know their stuff and have put together a very entertaining 80-minute thriller.
Gwen (Tonkin) turns up at a remote hotel, ready to start her first night shift. The owner of the hotel, Teddy (Lamorne Morris), gives Gwen the lay of the land and a quick rundown on the hotel procedures. After Teddy leaves, Gwen starts to suspect two things. That she may be being stalked by a figure from her past, and that this hotel may just be haunted…
Night Shift brings you into the story straight away, Tonkin and Morris have a great rhythm despite having a short amount of screen time together and the film hits that light, awkward comedy early on. However, the film then shifts nicely into more of a thriller template, especially when Gwen starts getting calls from a vacant room.
Tonkin is on screen all of the time, and she gives a very good performance. She is charming and a little bit off kilter, but she was easy to watch. The other actors, in particular Morris and Hu, play their parts perfectly, hitting the right notes.
The China Brothers writing and direction shows that they know how to build a story and even with a story like Night Shift that has many familiar elements, they have managed to turn it into something original with their own voice.
Night Shift is light on in the scares department but makes up for that with a good atmosphere and a well thought out final act. It is a fun film that is worth seeking out.
NIGHT SHIFT is out now in select cinemas and On Demand
Ryan Morrissey-Smith
Leave a Reply