Nightshift

Nightshift, released in 2018, is a harrowing and intensely gripping horror film directed by Stephen Hall that masterfully delivers chills and suspense in copious amounts. The cast, led by Ashleigh Dorrell, Matthew O'Brien, and Angel Hannigan, skillfully brings to life a tale of fear, uncertainty, and the macabre.

Ashleigh Dorrell stars as Amy, a woman who tackles her first shift in a spooky hotel with a dark and chilling history. Her assignment is to work as an overnight security patrol, a routine job that would seem to be uneventful but for the eerie setting of her new workplace. Having been warned about the hotel's history is enough to set anyone on edge, but Amy's pragmatic mind refuses to accept anything aside from scientific explanations. Things start innocently enough, but she soon realizes that not everything can be as easily explained or diminished as she might like.

Amy shares screen space with her colleague Luke, played by Matthew O'Brien. The constant bickering and banter between the two add a pinch of humor and levity to the otherwise stifling atmosphere. Luke is not just a character in the film but serves as a guide for the audience to interpret the strange occurrences experienced during the nocturnal shift. As Amy's only company during the night, their relationship evolves throughout the movie, forming an integral arc that complements the overarching narrative nicely.

More characters are introduced as the story unfolds, including Angel Hannigan, who delivers a chilling performance. Hannigan's character serves as a surprise element in the movie, pushing the plot in unexpected directions. Every character is intertwined with the history of the hotel, making it a necessary part of the story's fabric rather than just a random setting that adds to the atmospheric horror.

The screenplay is rich with nuance, only revealing fragments of the story at a time to keep audiences on their toes. The narrative shifts seamlessly from normalcy to blatant terror in a matter of seconds, taking full advantage of the building tension to deliver potent scares. The pacing of the movie is one of its strongest attributes. It starts off slow, quietly building the tension in the background, and suddenly swings into top gear, delivering shock after shock as the true nature of the hotel is revealed.

Shot primarily at night, the film's cinematography is noteworthy. The visual elements leverage the play of light and shadow to create a haunting ambiance that perfectly complements the narrative. Utilizing the hotel's unique architecture, director Stephen Hall paints a visually distinctive picture of the locale, almost making it a character in its own right. The eerie, echoing sounds in the background further enhance the hotel's spine-chilling atmosphere.

Hall masterfully navigates between the spectral and the corporeal by using innovative directorial techniques. The film stays clear of clichéd jump scares, relying instead on psychological horror that creates a sense of unease. The fear comes not only from what we see but also from the anticipation of what could be lurking just out of sight. The director's sure-handed guidance ensures that viewers remain hooked until the very end, eager to unravel the mysteries the hotel holds.

Nightshift doesn’t rely on excessive gore or over-the-top supernatural elements to deliver its thrills. It benefits from a clever, well-written script that offers a modern spin on classic horror tropes. The performances are top-notch, and Hall's direction ensures that the movie's underlying theme of fear and suspense permeates every scene.

This atmospheric horror thriller doesn't hold back on the chills and keeps the audience guessing until the end. Enjoy the movie for its thrilling narrative, the compelling performances by Dorrell, O'Brien, and Hannigan, and a plot twist that is sure to leave you gaping. Nightshift is not a film for the faint-hearted, but for those who revel in suspenseful cinema, it is a must-see. Prepare to enter the creepy corridors of your imagination as you join Amy on her first—and possibly last—nightshift.