ALONE AT NIGHT

It's heading toward four years since the covid pandemic started and we are still getting films set in and around it all. Alone at Night though is one that doesn't really need to be because, apart from a reality show the main character often watches, it impacts absolutely nothing in the film.

After a bad breakup, Vicky (Ashley Benson) retreats to a remote cabin and continues modelling for an adults-only, livestreaming website. However, she soon discovers she's not alone as a masked killer begins to stalk and terrorise her.

Alone at Night has all the makings to be a successful small-budget thriller; female lead looking to move on from a bad time in her life, an isolated cabin in the woods setting and plenty of disposable characters to dispatch in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, it never makes the most of any of these to become rather a dull affair. Vicky spends her time either working as a cam-girl or interacting with some highly suspicious locals, the motivation for the villain of the piece something that drags the film down further as it's so weak.

It's the writing and directing from Jimmy Giannopoulo that leaves a lot to be desired. I mean, is the reality show that Vicky tunes into supposed to be telling the audience something along the way? Or is it supposed to be funny? It ends up being neither and feels like a complete waste of screen time, particularly when the film reaches its conclusion. We come across a number of characters, some feeling like parodies, yet they all seem to make it through unscathed. Going by the film's opening scene, this really felt like it was going to be a lot bloodier.

Coming to the performances, Ashley Benson is incredibly game as the lead of the film. She manages to bring a sense of seriousness to proceedings, even if her limits as an actress aren't exactly tested here. Pamela Anderson's appearance as a sheriff is one of those that feels like a parody and, while fun, doesn't exactly add anything to the film.

Alone at Night has elements that work and provide some form of entertainment however, the film's closing moments just come across as smug filmmaking and certainly not as clever as they think it is.

Verdict: ★½