‘The Devil Comes At Night’ Review
Stars: Ryan Allen, Adrienne Kress, Jason Martorino, Elias Zarou, Shawn Ahmed, Todd Campbell, Dana Fradkin, Dl MacDonald | Written by Scott Leaver, Ryan Allen, Adrienne Kress | Directed by Scott Leaver
Making his feature debut, co-writer/director Scott Leaver opens with the sight of an empty house. One wonders about this location’s importance as the camera glides through, although that unanswered question is put aside as the focus shifts to a barely conscious man (Ryan Allen) being brought inside. He awakens in the darkness, wondering where his friend has gone before discovering an ominous note warning him to keep the lights off and stay hidden.
As nosy neighbours arrive with beer, the man introduces himself as Ben. To satisfy the neighbours’ curiosity, he shares how the property was owned by his recently deceased father and he intends to sort out some things. What he omits is his real intentions to find an inheritance, located within a currently undiscovered safe. Things grow uncomfortable when the neighbours become pushy about Ben’s family history, while constantly trying to make him step outside the house.
When he meets Amy (Adrienne Kress), a local book lover invited to stay by Ben’s father, the pair question the increasingly odd situation. Are the townsfolk’s actions due to deep-seated racism, or is there a more supernatural answer? Why can they not forcibly enter the house? And where is the mysterious safe’s location?
Based on a screenplay co-written with stars Allen and Kress, Leaver crafts a mysterious tale occurring within a single location. The plot thickens with each interesting revelation, with a particular one effectively reframing what audiences have seen prior to its reveal. What unfolds is an attention-holding take on the siege film, where those inside must retaliate against antagonistic forces repeatedly trying to coax the protagonists outside.
Despite some effective actions, the antagonists feel unthreatening courtesy of a lacking tension. A key excursion in the dark should be an uncomfortable sequence which puts the leads in danger, although that’s hampered by the screen turning pitch-black and making the scene unidentifiable. The violence can also feel jarringly edited, as though working around budgetary constraints in distracting ways.
Central to the story is a good dynamic, brought alive by effective lead performances. While Ben reflects on his shameful past and self-pities, Amy snaps him back to reality and combats his angry instances. It’s easy to get behind this likeable pairing when they’re played so well, particularly as Ben channels the weight of his past mistakes into a drive to persevere in this situation. What’s left is an effective start to Leaver’s directorial career.
