‘All amenities included.’
Night at the Eagle Inn is a 2021 American horror film about fraternal twins that visit the titular hotel to search for clues regarding their lost father.
Directed by Erik Bloomquist (Ten Minutes to Midnight; Long Lost; shorts: She Came from the Woods; Ghost Tour; Midnight Brew) from a screenplay co-written with Carson Bloomquist.
The Mainframe Pictures production stars Amelia Dudley, Taylor Turner, Greg Schweers, Beau Minniear and aforementioned Erik Bloomquist (The Changed).
Plot:
Fraternal twins Spencer and Sarah Moss embark on a pilgrimage to a remote Vermont inn to investigate the last known whereabouts of their father who mysteriously disappeared the night they were born.
Once checked in, the uncanny innkeeper and enigmatic groundsman slowly guide the twins through the institutions’ tragic and terrifying history.
Not ones to leave any stone unturned, Spencer and Sarah go rogue and dive deeper – their exploration leading to shocking revelations as the property’s dark secrets ensnare them in a hellish labyrinth they must escape before dawn…
Reviews:
“Night at the Eagle Inn is a smart and sassy horror that wears its influences on its sleeve. Erik and Carson Bloomquist’s (Ten Minutes to Midnight) latest isn’t scared to name its inspiration and the duo take great pleasure is playing with genre conventions and cliches. This largely works due to great chemistry between leads and a tendency to never take itself too seriously.” Backseat Mafia
“Like most of Bloomquists’s movies it doesn’t outstay its welcome; the light comedic touch would probably wear in a longer film. But its humour is deceptive; there’s some disturbing imagery on display here and Schweers’ unhinged performance keeps things very spiky. Good stuff.” Bloody Flicks
“It’s creepy, intense, and full of characters that are easy to empathize with and root for. The screenplay effectively sets up the characters and their plight without spoon-feeding while the narrative remains a warped enigma of mystery that engages on all fronts. The direction is splendid, delivering chills and thrills with stunning cinematography and clever editing.” Film Threat
“Night at the Eagle Inn is a fun silly ghost train of a movie. Playing out like a discovered episode of The Twilight Zone and shot during the pandemic it’s a testament to how killer filmmaking can be achieved with a game committed cast and a solid script.” The Geek Goddesses
“The supernatural elements are traditional but just as effective as they were forty years ago. The plot moves along quickly, and the scares are well placed, with just enough time between each to wonder what’s coming next. By the time handyman Dean’s personal story becomes evident, there’s no turning back.” Grimoire of Horror
“The overall feeling is that Night at the Eagle Inn falls somewhere between a Twilight Zone story and The Innkeepers, and as such makes for a very easy and enjoyable watch. What makes the film so inviting though is its forward-thinking and modern representations that, although present, don’t steal focus from the narrative and simply serve to endear itself further.” The Hollywood News
” …the concept behind the static and images from the televisions—and their significance on the plot—is just a sample of the brilliant scripting. At a slight 1 hour 10 minute runtime, it actually serves to speed up the pace of what would otherwise be a slow-burn horror movie. In sampling some of the best influences of various genre picks, it accomplishes a great deal over such a short length.” Josh at the Movies
“The Bloomquist’s have a unique style of storytelling, which makes it all the more frustrating that Night at the Eagle Inn is more interested in leaning heavily into your standard haunted hotel tropes than in doing anything to trash the place […] Without a strong mystery at the center of it, Night at the Eagle Inn embraces the familiar instead of subverting expectations.” Killer Horror Critic
“It’s a unique twist on something that could have gotten extremely formulaic real quick. If you’re looking for something spooky that’s all killer and no filler, Night at the Eagle Inn sure to serve you well. It’s surprising and well-crafted horror that will appeal to genre fans of all walks. Give it a shot once it becomes widely available.” Modern Horrors
“The great ensemble is aided by Thomson Nguyen’s coldly gorgeous cinematography and Gyom Amphoux’s haunting score, with Night of the Eagle Inn ultimately showing horror at its best, swirling tropes into a pot and serving a delightful broth that will warm the most frozen of hearts.” Moving Pictures Film Club
“From an explosive opening, all the way through to the conclusion, Eagle Inn feels like something that succeeds due to its restrictions, rather than in spite of them. It is clear that there is not a huge budget so everything is designed to wring the maximum effect out of what is available, leaning on the charming performances and skill of the filmmakers to draw the viewer in.” Scared Sheepless
“The cast members are all terrific, with Turner dishing out barbs at a fast clip and Dudley grounding the pair with a more serious tone — the two actors play off of each other splendidly — Schweers obviously having a ball being just a hair’s breadth short of chewing scenery, and Minniear diving into his role with relish, as well.” The Scariest Things
Blurb:
“Equal parts The Innkeepers, The Shining, and Vacancy, Night at the Eagle Inn is a fast-paced horror-mystery laden with intrigue, black comedy, and plenty of scares.”
Release:
Night at the Eagle Inn was shown on the film festival circuit at events such as Popcorn Frights Film Festival in the USA (August 16, 2021) and Grimmfest in the UK (October 2021).
On November 2nd 2021, the film was released online to rent or buy.
Cast and characters:
Amelia Dudley …Sarah Moss
Taylor Turner … Spencer Moss
Greg Schweers … The Night Manager
Beau Minniear … Dean
Erik Bloomquist … Joseph Moss
Jeffrey Fryer … The New Arrival
Bill Salvatore … The Apologist
Madeleine Dauer … The Caretaker
Charles Rosenay … The Debutante
Filming locations:
Plymouth, Vermont
Technical details:
70 minutes
Aspect ratio: 2.35: 1
Audio: D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1
Trailer:
Clip:
MOVIES & MANIA says:
Night at the Eagle Inn comes across like an over-extended Twilight Zone episode shot during the lockdown. Unfortunately, the two main protagonists – and even the handyman/barman – aren’t even vaguely appealing as characters: they’re snarky and insufferable and so engender little interest or sympathy. Meanwhile, the various supposedly horrific machinations at the hotel, which include a seemingly requisitive reference to The Shining – are very rote and uninspiring. Nothing that happens at the tatty inn is even vaguely scary.
Erik Bloomquist previously made Ten Minutes to Midnight which is pretty effective and entertaining so this opportunistic endeavour is all the more baffling and disappointing.
