‘I’ll see you in Hell’
The Overnight is a 2022 supernatural horror film about a young couple that finds themselves at an outdated hotel after they become sidetracked on a planned romantic weekend. Soon, they are caught up in murderous death loops and bait for a murderous demon.
Directed by Kevin Rhoades and producer Bobby Francavillo from a screenplay written by Mel Hagopian, based on a story co-written with Richard Harlost (Bloodyfly).
The Rock Road Media production stars Zebedee Row, Rajeev Varma, Brittany Clark, James Lorinz, Justin L. Wilson and Mathilde Dehaye.
Our review:
The relationship between the two main protagonists: easy-going architect David (Zebedee Row) and short-tempered social media blogger Jessie (Brittany Clark) seems initially fraught with tension one minute and fine the next; perplexingly, it remains unconvincing throughout the rest of this messy movie. Several other characters are introduced but none are fleshed out enough by screenwriter Mel Hagopian to warrant much interest.
Granted, the early stages of the couple’s unplanned stopover at a hotel seemingly stuck in a 1980s time loop show some promise. There are some smile-inducing little touches such as a ‘Frankie Says Relax’ mug, bleeping digital watches, pineapple-upside-down cake and obvious callbacks to a certain iconic 1980 hotel horror film. Unfortunately, the attempts to create a sense of unease and dread soon become disjointed and confusing more in the vein of Norman J. Warren’s 1986 misfire Bloody New Year (also known as Time Warp Terror) than Kubrick’s take on Stephen King.
Along the way, The Overnight offers a couple of welcome splattery effects, reasonable production values and Nola Wren’s pleasingly retro score but these minor positives hardly compensate for the baffling tone overall. At one point, even Salim (Rajeev Varma), the creepy manager, questions what is going on. If the characters themselves are confused by the onscreen mayhem and demonic possession how can viewers follow the increasingly silly scenario?
Add in some occasionally ropey acting, such as Brittany Clark’s feeble mild reaction when she accidentally comes across two slaughtered young boys covered in blood – surely, a truly horrific sight that would induce major revulsion! – and unfortunately, The Overnight is hardly worth checking into unless you have time to kill.
Ade Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
PS. Screenwriter Mel Hagopian has since contacted us to say that although The Overnight began production in 2017, budget constraints and lengthy post-production, combined with the 2020 lockdown meant that the film took longer than planned to complete. I have therefore removed the opening sentence about the film seeming to sit on the shelf. Unfortunately, Mel has taken it personally that my review was not more positive, saying: “I have no respect for someone who can’t find any good in a project that took 5 years to complete…” The length of time it takes to complete production has no bearing on the finished film that has been released and is under review. Indeed, rather than being unduly harsh as Mel suggests, my review is in line with the others (quoted and linked in this overview), with a score of 2/5. Had there been nothing “good” in The Overnight that score would have been less. And no, I didn’t watch it on fast-forward as she suggested.
Other reviews:
” …the film’s exposition takes on too much at the start. The viewers receive the gift of a wonderfully maniacal Justin L. Wilson as the Stalker character, but much of Jessie and David’s road trip takes the wind out of the sails of a captivating opening sequence. When we start having fun with the film’s imaginative concepts, there’s a lot to like in both makeup and mayhem, but the affair begins too late, and the build-up only provides convolution. ” Horror Obsessive
“The fatal flaw of The Overnight is that neither the screenplay nor the directors, the team of Bobby Francavillo and Kevin Rhoades, bother to establish the foundational mechanics of what’s even happening. Why should we care about why some supernatural nonsense is occurring when we’re never certain what the nonsense is in the first place?” 1/4 Mark Reviews Movies
“Codirectors Bobby Francavillo and Kevin Rhoades don’t help sort out the more enigmatic elements much, but when you have ghosts, at least one demonic presence, and some nefarious humans all cooped up in the same building, it might be a lot to ask of anyone at the helm of this screenplay. Most of the cast members are Acting with a capital A, which doesn’t help matters any, either.” 2/5 The Scariest Things
“The exposition makes things as clear as mud, and while the directors have attempted an enigmatic feel, it ends up as confused as the viewer. This is a shame, as the setting and most of the actors are very effective at conveying their roles. They’re let down by a movie that’s trying too hard to be The Shining…” 2/5 Starburst
“It’s unprecedented in a clumsy way and that’s part of its charm. We’re not sure if the weird parts are all deliberate but we can’t look away. I love a horror film that vaguely defines its antagonist until it fully unleashes it, him, or her, spending time on exposition and mindfucking on the way there.” 2.5 out of 4 Tales of Terror
“It’s too bad it didn’t occur to somebody to work up a voiceover or something to help make sense of things. Because the hotel they filmed in has some great decor and is atmospheric, And there are some simple but effective practical effects. It would never have been a great film, but it could have been an acceptable time killer.” 2/5 Voices from the Balcony
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