Never mind the extremely positive and negative reviews, they're both exaggerating. The truth is somewhere in the middle, so it's basically not really worth watching. It had my attention though, for the first hour, but after that it fell apart, it looked like they didn't put much effort towards the end with endless unnecessary conversations and even singing at one point. The first hour there was some suspense and the acting wasn't bad for a low budget movie. Too bad they didn't continue and elaborate the creature thing a bit more. Now it's just an average movie no one will ever remember.
149 Reviews
Decent acting, suffers from pacing issues and a ridiculous ending
urabahn12 August 2020
The narrative jumps between the present and past, shown through flashbacks. Our protagonist's relationships with his partner and best friend make for lighthearted, often humorous fare, but the pacing drags down the film. The film lingers too much of his emotional state while simultaneously trying just a bit too hard to heighten the mystery of the nightly attacks. Presumably, this is something the viewer should care about, but then the film abruptly swerves into oncoming traffic with the nonsensical ending.
Weird but Kept me interested
dar041717 June 2020
This film sounded like a solid idea but was so out there I had to watch. I was guessing the entire time where his girlfriend went and what is scratching on this door. Most of the film I assumed they were the same. Then the ending you will just laugh. Worth checking out in my opinion but not for everyone. The plot is a little slow and the acting isn't the best.
Focuses more on relationships than monsters.
fedor812 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
An unusual horror drama romance, with convincing dialog and above-average acting, especially for an American-made horror film. (No teens: that helps too.) However, much of the film drags. There is even a 12-minute uncut scene in which the love-birds discuss their relationship. I wouldn't call it a boring scene, but it does take place a mere 15-20 minutes before the end, and it has zero to do with the horror sub-plot.
Yes, the monster is actually relegated to sub-plot status in the second half, which is when the protagonist's girlfriend finally reappears.
Speaking of which... He didn't know where she is, she was essentially missing for a month. Yet, he knows her brother and frequently talks to him. Which begs the question: why didn't he simply ask the sheriff (her brother) where his sister had gone to?
Btw, the sheriff is played by the writer/director who did "The Endless", a movie I'd recommend to all "Twilight Zone" fans.
There is a briefly intriguing scene in which the protagonist jokingly tells his girlfriend that the monster might be her, that she might be a shapeshifter, hence why the monster had been a constant nuisance ever since she left, not before. It is a bit of a pity that the writer hadn't gone that route i.e. actually made her to be the monster: that would have been a nice surprise, and an unusual twist (if not necessarily logical - though that would depend on how this would be explained, if it were explained). Of course, in this case the writer would have had to delete her boyfriend's quip about her being a shapeshifting creature so as not to ruin the plot-twist.
As it is, we got that strange finale instead, in which the monster makes a VERY sudden appearance. It resembles the Predator. I have no idea if this was intentional (as a tribute, mockery, whatever) or not. It could have been intended as an obscure gag (very obscure) considering that the protagonist is a hunter and the Predator is, obviously, also one.
I can fault the movie for being too plodding and a bit aimless at times, but I certainly can't criticize the characterization and the originality of the ending. An absurd ending, but interesting nonetheless.
Pretty bad soundtrack.
Yes, the monster is actually relegated to sub-plot status in the second half, which is when the protagonist's girlfriend finally reappears.
Speaking of which... He didn't know where she is, she was essentially missing for a month. Yet, he knows her brother and frequently talks to him. Which begs the question: why didn't he simply ask the sheriff (her brother) where his sister had gone to?
Btw, the sheriff is played by the writer/director who did "The Endless", a movie I'd recommend to all "Twilight Zone" fans.
There is a briefly intriguing scene in which the protagonist jokingly tells his girlfriend that the monster might be her, that she might be a shapeshifter, hence why the monster had been a constant nuisance ever since she left, not before. It is a bit of a pity that the writer hadn't gone that route i.e. actually made her to be the monster: that would have been a nice surprise, and an unusual twist (if not necessarily logical - though that would depend on how this would be explained, if it were explained). Of course, in this case the writer would have had to delete her boyfriend's quip about her being a shapeshifting creature so as not to ruin the plot-twist.
As it is, we got that strange finale instead, in which the monster makes a VERY sudden appearance. It resembles the Predator. I have no idea if this was intentional (as a tribute, mockery, whatever) or not. It could have been intended as an obscure gag (very obscure) considering that the protagonist is a hunter and the Predator is, obviously, also one.
I can fault the movie for being too plodding and a bit aimless at times, but I certainly can't criticize the characterization and the originality of the ending. An absurd ending, but interesting nonetheless.
Pretty bad soundtrack.
Uhm, what the hell?!
paulclaassen2 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm usually not a fan of non-linear storytelling, but it did kind of work here, as it was presented interestingly, and effective.
The very idea of something scratching at your front door at night is enough to send shudders down your spine. The film starts of mysterious and very creepy. The first half of the film was captivating and had me glued to the screen. Jeremy Gardner - who also wrote and directed the film - stars as Hank, who's girlfriend Abbey suddenly left for reasons unbeknownst to him. His 'happy times' are told through memories and back flashes. If I didn't know any better, I'd have sworn he attempted to make a film as effective as 'A Quiet Place'. His acting was very good and he effectively conveyed every emotion through facial expression. The film also has a good score.
However, unfortunately the film fell apart during the last act - so much so that it ruined the entire film. I don't generally do spoilers, but for this film I will, so I can remember it in time to come. If you haven't seen the film and plan on watching it, don't read any further.
SPOILERS: After a promising and creepy first half, the film then spends 14 minutes showing Hank and Abbey sitting talking about their relationship. (Oh, yup, Abbey just suddenly returned as if nothing happened (!). Her explanations doesn't justify her actions, as she seemed perfectly happy in their relationship.) This is followed by a 12 minute dinner party, with Hank and Abbey and some friends sitting talking and doing karaoke. And then the ending is rushed - done and dusted in a scene that lasts about 2 minutes, and the credits started rolling! What the hell was that??? There's no explanation! The 'thing' that scratched at the door just suddenly jumped at Hank, and was so clearly just a guy in a suit. But what was it? Why? What? How? Its almost as if he ran out of time, money and ideas. And just like that its all over. Ugh, seriously!!
Would I watch it again? NO!
The very idea of something scratching at your front door at night is enough to send shudders down your spine. The film starts of mysterious and very creepy. The first half of the film was captivating and had me glued to the screen. Jeremy Gardner - who also wrote and directed the film - stars as Hank, who's girlfriend Abbey suddenly left for reasons unbeknownst to him. His 'happy times' are told through memories and back flashes. If I didn't know any better, I'd have sworn he attempted to make a film as effective as 'A Quiet Place'. His acting was very good and he effectively conveyed every emotion through facial expression. The film also has a good score.
However, unfortunately the film fell apart during the last act - so much so that it ruined the entire film. I don't generally do spoilers, but for this film I will, so I can remember it in time to come. If you haven't seen the film and plan on watching it, don't read any further.
SPOILERS: After a promising and creepy first half, the film then spends 14 minutes showing Hank and Abbey sitting talking about their relationship. (Oh, yup, Abbey just suddenly returned as if nothing happened (!). Her explanations doesn't justify her actions, as she seemed perfectly happy in their relationship.) This is followed by a 12 minute dinner party, with Hank and Abbey and some friends sitting talking and doing karaoke. And then the ending is rushed - done and dusted in a scene that lasts about 2 minutes, and the credits started rolling! What the hell was that??? There's no explanation! The 'thing' that scratched at the door just suddenly jumped at Hank, and was so clearly just a guy in a suit. But what was it? Why? What? How? Its almost as if he ran out of time, money and ideas. And just like that its all over. Ugh, seriously!!
Would I watch it again? NO!
Not for everyone, but I liked it.
sjocase19692 August 2020
This movie is just a quirky mash up of S##t. Is it horror? Comedy? Drama? Romance? Or Science fiction? Answer, all of the above. It is by no means great but I found it rather entertaining. Not for everyone but I liked it.
Sometimes movies truly are a waste of time.
jasonscottwilsonfl18 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
So the plot here is pretty simple:
Guy lives out on farm with love of his life At some point love of his life is no longer in his life A mysterious beast attacks his house nightly
So they questions you ask during the film are:
1. Where is his girlfriend? Dead, alive, just a break up? Did the monster get her? 2. Is there really a monster or is it in his head like his friends think?
The majority of the movie is flashbacks of times with his perfect GF. They clearly love each other, which makes you assume she maybe died at some point but he hasn't accepted it? Did he kill her and is a complete nutjob? Is HE the monster?
The rest of the movie is scenes with the beast attacking the house. You never get a good look at it accept for one time it eats his GF's cat and you see it for a split second. Otherwise it just leaves behind damage done to the house, which friends suggest is a bear or mountain lion.
So what's the actual answer to what is going on? Well the GF was just bored of their relationship and headed on down to Miami for a reunion, and simply had her phone off so she could have space.
The monster? Yup it's real. Shows up in the last scene with the entire cast and our main character kills it.
The end. No explanations, just the end. 1 star for a nice soundtrack at times.
Guy lives out on farm with love of his life At some point love of his life is no longer in his life A mysterious beast attacks his house nightly
So they questions you ask during the film are:
1. Where is his girlfriend? Dead, alive, just a break up? Did the monster get her? 2. Is there really a monster or is it in his head like his friends think?
The majority of the movie is flashbacks of times with his perfect GF. They clearly love each other, which makes you assume she maybe died at some point but he hasn't accepted it? Did he kill her and is a complete nutjob? Is HE the monster?
The rest of the movie is scenes with the beast attacking the house. You never get a good look at it accept for one time it eats his GF's cat and you see it for a split second. Otherwise it just leaves behind damage done to the house, which friends suggest is a bear or mountain lion.
So what's the actual answer to what is going on? Well the GF was just bored of their relationship and headed on down to Miami for a reunion, and simply had her phone off so she could have space.
The monster? Yup it's real. Shows up in the last scene with the entire cast and our main character kills it.
The end. No explanations, just the end. 1 star for a nice soundtrack at times.
Worth a Watch
jlzotto21 June 2020
Lots of negative reviews here but everyone is entitled to their opinion. Some opinions are, however, wrong.
If you liked The Endless or Spring then you'll like this one, too. The characters are flawed but you care for them anyway. There is horror, drama, and a few genuine laughs to be had. Loved the ending! Definitely worth a look.
If you liked The Endless or Spring then you'll like this one, too. The characters are flawed but you care for them anyway. There is horror, drama, and a few genuine laughs to be had. Loved the ending! Definitely worth a look.
Dreadfully Boring-I guess the other reviews so far are from the crew
umimelectric15 February 2020
If you like horror films, or creature features, you should definitely PASS on this film. If you like indie dramas about an annoying couple painting a house together while getting into tickle fights, before seemingly unexplained problems in their relationship cause a rift that makes up 95% of the story then you need to grab your significant other and buckle up for 90 minutes of you giving each other quirky glances whenever something onscreen resonates with something in your own annoying relationship. The story is boring, the setting is dull, the dialogue at times reads like a small-time theater production and less like a movie, and most importantly the monster is on screen like one and a half times if you count a short glimpse of it halfway through, and when you finally get a good look at it, it's a freaking joke. I don't know if that was some deliberate attempt at being offbeat but the monster design just comes off as cheap more than anything else. I still don't fully understand why his girlfriend left him to begin with? Because she didn't like living in the country and wanted to go eat food from street vendors? I'm not joking...paraphrasing her character here but she left her boyfriend who she seemed so in love with in flashbacks because she suddenly decided she didn't like living in a small town and she wanted to drink funky wines and eat sushi and food from street vendors! I wish I was joking... That's some college girl stuff, man...can't really sympathize with her. Just goes to show you, being a good and loving partner is just boring for these women anymore. 2/10 because I'm feeling generous.
Not Bad
greg-5368217 March 2020
Not sure why all the bad reviews, but it's definitely better than all the 1 out of 10s it's getting. Just the crazy ending that wasn't expected at all should get it more stars for being unique. It kept my attention and curiosity throughout, wondering what was going to happen. I would recommend giving it a shot.
There are slow burners, and there is this.
robertirvine-8063314 August 2021
Deserves Way More Than A Damn 5.5
Her-Excellency12 March 2021
While the film itself is a bit predictable (there are only a few ways it can go), it was extremely well done, mostly due to the acting from each of those involved, and little else. That was impressive. It seemed far shorter than what it actually was, too, which means the pacing - especially for a film like this - was fantastic, and that thought went into not letting it boggle down or lose momentum in any real, telling way. It keeps you pretty engaged for the duration of its running time.
More than that, however, is the amazing soundtrack which to me, is worth 10-Stars on its own. When all was said and done, I walked away with at least seven pretty great new tunes to add to my collection from three bands I had never heard of before.
This is a GREAT date movie. There is blood, gore, humor, a couple of lol's and lulls for hand-holding and popcorn-sharing, and as already mentioned, some excellent music.
More than that, however, is the amazing soundtrack which to me, is worth 10-Stars on its own. When all was said and done, I walked away with at least seven pretty great new tunes to add to my collection from three bands I had never heard of before.
This is a GREAT date movie. There is blood, gore, humor, a couple of lol's and lulls for hand-holding and popcorn-sharing, and as already mentioned, some excellent music.
Well Orchestrated and Unexpectedly Wholesome Free-form Romance Horror
TwistedContent14 February 2020
Jeremy Gardner and Christian Stella together have delivered a movie that'll likely split the audiences to some extent, with one side saying the movie inevitably derails itself and the other saying it twists for the unexpected better. For a brief moment, around the middle of "After Midnight", I was very skeptical, but the unexpected better did find its way to me.
Jeremy Gardner has long been one of the names in indie horror scene that I'm always looking forward to see credited below a new and intriguing movie, as a director, writer and/or actor. In this case, all three. With a friend, cinematographer and co-director Christian Stella, Gardner offers us a kind of a free-form horror with more than a decent amount of romance. In the end, it's the romance that really sells. Gardner portrays the character of Frank, a thirty-something bar-owner stuck in the small rural hometown he was born in, living together in a remote house with his long-time girlfriend Abby (Brea Grant). When Abby goes missing, Hank's life and sanity starts to fall apart as a mysterious monster comes to torment him every night. Humor, endearment, angst, existential crisis - all of this can be seen and felt in "After Midnight". I'd assume confidently enough that the best way to watch it is to go in blind. The story, as narrow and metaphorical as it is, flows nicely and evenly, while also shifting in ways that some may not expect. Christian Stella's thoughtfully and beautifully composed cinematography coats the emotional vibes up in a befitting visual symphony, there's even a few long-takes, one of which, being just a static dialogue, really stood out to me. Oh, and the whole cast is in on it fully, for indie scene fans there's the awesome director Justin Benson portraying a cop & the character of Wade will surely make you smile at least once.
Maybe I can't call "After Midnight" a very substantial movie, but it certainly manages to distance itself from anything that could be called a traditional horror, it captures a sense of melancholy and meaning, ranges from eerie to sweet & shows off great effort by everyone involved. My rating: 7/10.
Jeremy Gardner has long been one of the names in indie horror scene that I'm always looking forward to see credited below a new and intriguing movie, as a director, writer and/or actor. In this case, all three. With a friend, cinematographer and co-director Christian Stella, Gardner offers us a kind of a free-form horror with more than a decent amount of romance. In the end, it's the romance that really sells. Gardner portrays the character of Frank, a thirty-something bar-owner stuck in the small rural hometown he was born in, living together in a remote house with his long-time girlfriend Abby (Brea Grant). When Abby goes missing, Hank's life and sanity starts to fall apart as a mysterious monster comes to torment him every night. Humor, endearment, angst, existential crisis - all of this can be seen and felt in "After Midnight". I'd assume confidently enough that the best way to watch it is to go in blind. The story, as narrow and metaphorical as it is, flows nicely and evenly, while also shifting in ways that some may not expect. Christian Stella's thoughtfully and beautifully composed cinematography coats the emotional vibes up in a befitting visual symphony, there's even a few long-takes, one of which, being just a static dialogue, really stood out to me. Oh, and the whole cast is in on it fully, for indie scene fans there's the awesome director Justin Benson portraying a cop & the character of Wade will surely make you smile at least once.
Maybe I can't call "After Midnight" a very substantial movie, but it certainly manages to distance itself from anything that could be called a traditional horror, it captures a sense of melancholy and meaning, ranges from eerie to sweet & shows off great effort by everyone involved. My rating: 7/10.
Waste of time
doctorshaleenbhatnagar9 May 2020
Boring , slow, and what is the plot exactly?
zoeheeley19 December 2020
Sorry but this is so bad. The plot is so weird, I can't tell if it's a horror, or a drama about the couples issues, or something else. One character goes out the film for a length of time, there's no decent explanation for it. You're wondering if it's significant to the plot. It isn't. The plot is so bizarre, I was patiently waiting for things to ramp up but was so disappointed that nothing ever materialised. The ending is ridiculous and really silly. Wouldnt recommend this film to anyone sorry.
I liked it
hicksholly2 January 2023
The bad reviews make me laugh. I get it because I definitely go against the grain of what's liked and disliked in the film world. There are perfectly good examples of movies with good ratings I definitely could not finish. But to each their own. It's probably obvious but Jeremy Gardner both directed and played the main character in this film. Which, fair , sometimes if you want something done a specific way you might as well do it yourself.
Someone made a comment that it looked like it was filmed on an iPhone camera. I'll have to disagree on that one. I've had a limited experience with film equipment but just enough to let you know that if something was filmed on a cellphone device , you'd know What I look for when picking a movie is whether or not it shows any originality and to me this did. I watched the trailer beforehand and it seemed intriguing enough.
This wasn't the best movie I've seen but nowhere near the worst. I don't want those minutes of my life back that I spent so in my opinion its a 7 or in the very least a 6.5 I think it's just the story of two guys who got drunk one night and said let's make a monster flick and that's what they did. Kudos.
Extra points for that Lisa Loeb song at the end. 90's teens only will appreciate what you did there.
Someone made a comment that it looked like it was filmed on an iPhone camera. I'll have to disagree on that one. I've had a limited experience with film equipment but just enough to let you know that if something was filmed on a cellphone device , you'd know What I look for when picking a movie is whether or not it shows any originality and to me this did. I watched the trailer beforehand and it seemed intriguing enough.
This wasn't the best movie I've seen but nowhere near the worst. I don't want those minutes of my life back that I spent so in my opinion its a 7 or in the very least a 6.5 I think it's just the story of two guys who got drunk one night and said let's make a monster flick and that's what they did. Kudos.
Extra points for that Lisa Loeb song at the end. 90's teens only will appreciate what you did there.
insufferable
dyingxmidwestern-115 February 2020
I guess rotten tomatoes scores are now just bought and sold, as this thing is sitting right around 100%. this film is nearly unwatchable in every regard. the acting is awful, the dialogue is laughable, the characters basically insufferable. then there's the "creature". wow. one of the dumbest films i've ever seen and i'm not sure how it's gotten distribution or release. there's "low budget" or "indie" and there is amateur garbage like this. nonsensical plot, inexplicable character choices: (head over heels girl in love disappears one day to the exotic wilds of *miami* in search of wine and sushi?) anger inducing waste of time, avoid at all costs.
This was great.
red-nevermore-smith13 April 2020
Gets a little annoying with the warm fuzzy memories but. Very funny. Main character and his best friend are really funny. Totally worth a watch. Yes the monster looks kind of lame, but for low budget it is amazing.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great ending
Horrible Joke
sdtrafi20 February 2020
For 75 minutes you will see super boring things then a clown appears. Then he would perform a weird type of grimace... Tadaaaaa ... Movie ends ... It's like you went to a restaurant for eating pizza .. then they told many things about their best chicken fry and returned with a banana ...
UNique in its own way
natcalgary16 February 2020
If you read all the bad reviews it becomes clear that they missed half the movie and the other half blew right over the heads. If you miss a key part then you wont understand parts later on. Also I believe that people going into this expecting a horror may have felt they were tricked. It really was not a bad movie...
I originally rated this a 4.9 but after a re-watch moved it up to a 5.9 The last scene is brilliant and I had missed a couple things during the first watch.
5.9
I originally rated this a 4.9 but after a re-watch moved it up to a 5.9 The last scene is brilliant and I had missed a couple things during the first watch.
5.9
Why?
info-33728-3004016 February 2020
Something about this guy's films....
ricky_dry_county19 September 2020
.. is strangely enticing. On one hand, it always looks put together on a showstring budget, featuring actors you've never seen anywhere else. On the other hand, the finer aspects of filmmaking are nailed really well & there will be moments where even hardened movie buffs would be impressed by what's on show. Now, I've only watched "The Battery" a few days ago & wanted to check out this one soon after. I admit there are some inconsequential dragging scenes in the first half (as was the case with "The Battery"). Yet, it always has you hooked because of its underlying mystery. What absolutely stumped me was a scene where the leads sit down and discuss at length in one (very long) continuous shot. And... Never fumble a delivery. I knew the actor/director had chops, but the actress too lays it down perfectly. A really special scene! The climax has a love it or hate it ring to it, and I absolutely loved it. The mood of film is what makes it a must watch, imo. What will repel people would be the incorrect genre labelling. I for one, am thankful for indie filmmakers in 2020 putting out stuff that isn't all predictable, monotone garbage.
You Wanna Drink Another Case Of This S$&t With Me????
wandernn1-81-68327423 August 2020
So IMDb erased a very long review once again because they don't have a save draft feature like almost all writing sites have these days.
So this will be a very brief summary in replace of my normal reviews.
This movie is more of a study of a relationship between 2 Florida people. A woman who is not happy with the current state of her life. And a man who is somewhat happy with just living with her in the place they are at.
In between flashback scenes of this story unfolding we have a few moments here and there where the man is antagonized by some creature who comes calling to his Home just about each and every night After Midnight.
*1 Big STAR for when the creature comes calling on the Wine & Karaoke Party!!! LOL
And that was the end!!!!
6/10
So this will be a very brief summary in replace of my normal reviews.
This movie is more of a study of a relationship between 2 Florida people. A woman who is not happy with the current state of her life. And a man who is somewhat happy with just living with her in the place they are at.
In between flashback scenes of this story unfolding we have a few moments here and there where the man is antagonized by some creature who comes calling to his Home just about each and every night After Midnight.
*1 Big STAR for when the creature comes calling on the Wine & Karaoke Party!!! LOL
And that was the end!!!!
6/10
Pretentious and dull
aaron-howe14 March 2020
I watched this film on a recommendation from Vulture, who are usually good at picking gems, but I can only surmise they were paid to rep this particular film.
It's one of those movies where not only does nothing happen throughout, but you can actively distinguish the scenes were the director clearly thought they were really breaking new ground - especially when the music supervisor took their turn to showcase some of the most awful music I've ever heard in scenes where no musical accompaniment was called for.
The twist, if there's any way to justify calling it that, was so massively telegraphed that it could have been seen from space. If you want to watch a genuinely odd and questioning horror then watch something like The Void instead, it'll be a much better investment of time.
It's one of those movies where not only does nothing happen throughout, but you can actively distinguish the scenes were the director clearly thought they were really breaking new ground - especially when the music supervisor took their turn to showcase some of the most awful music I've ever heard in scenes where no musical accompaniment was called for.
The twist, if there's any way to justify calling it that, was so massively telegraphed that it could have been seen from space. If you want to watch a genuinely odd and questioning horror then watch something like The Void instead, it'll be a much better investment of time.
wait wat?
davedavidedwards27 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Hipster nonsense about two bar owners having relationship troubles, then there's some weird subplot about an alien or something visiting the dude every night while his girlfriend is away.
bearded doughboy drinks lots of whisky out of jars and is driven insane by poor special effects.
The odd interestingly framed shot, but largely mumblecore and a waste of time.
Was this film an elaborate troll, from the neckbeard irony reddit tier bros?
bearded doughboy drinks lots of whisky out of jars and is driven insane by poor special effects.
The odd interestingly framed shot, but largely mumblecore and a waste of time.
Was this film an elaborate troll, from the neckbeard irony reddit tier bros?
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