There’s a good chance that the first ~10 minutes of Brandon Christensen’s (Z, Superhost) new film will feel *familiar* to you. If you’ve heard of the urban legend “The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs” or seen either When a Stranger Calls or Black Christmas, the opening of Night of the Reaper may play like a short film version of the same beats.
Rest assured that there’s plenty more surprises and twists to come in the Canadian director’s latest (he co-wrote the script with Ryan Christensen). But even if there weren’t, the plight of Emily (Summer H. Howell), a 1980s babysitter who suspects that she may not be alone in the house with her two small charges, is thrillingly executed.
From noises in the garage to a dead dog in the street to ominous letters that read like twisted Valentines, Emily’s peril establishes many of the details that will play an important role in the narrative to come.
Following a time jump ahead, the story picks back up with Deena (Jessica Clement), a college student who is returning home following what appears to be a significant absence. Arriving just in time for Halloween, the rest of the first act is spent introducing the rest of the cast, including videographer Chad (Ben Cockell), jock Willis (Bryn Samuel), as well as her naughty best friend, Haddie (Savannah Miller, a comedic stand-out).
When Haddie comes down with food poisoning, Deena is pressed into babysitting duties for the town’s Sheriff, Rod Cooper (Ryan Robbins), at which point Night of the Reaper divides its narrative in two. One half follows Deena’s strange night taking care of adorable child Max (Max Christensen); the other half details Sheriff Cooper’s investigation into a series of snuff videocassettes that suggest there’s an active serial killer in town.
Considering the amount of back and forth, Night of the Reaper could have been choppy and ill-paced, but the cross-cutting works in the film’s favour. It’s an effective way to build tension while keeping the film moving along at a brisk pace (the whole movie takes place over the course of a single night).
It doesn’t hurt that both storylines contain plenty of excitement: Sheriff Cooper discovers he may have a personal connection to the murders when one tape includes imagery of his deceased wife, while Deena’s time in the enormous isolated home in the woods bears all of the trademarks of the killer’s work from the film’s opening.
Christensen is adept at fleshing out the necessary parts of the world without getting too bogged down in unnecessary details. This includes laying out the basic geography of the town (a graveyard, a convenience store, a river), as well as the Sheriff’s house, which is helpfully laid out during Deena’s game of hide and seek with Max over walkie/talkie.
In addition to boasting a (relatively) straightforward narrative, the film’s other key asset is Clement. Deena is a dream of a Final Girl: she’s fun, generous, and extremely capable of handling herself. Naturally there’s a hint of a dark backstory wrapped up in her reluctance to return home (a withdrawn father whose meds she picks up early in the film; a reticence to leave her parents to take the babysitting gig, etc), but Night of the Reaper isn’t weighed down by tragedy. Despite being surprisingly dark and disturbing, the film is first and foremost a brisk, exciting ’80s-set slasher.
The supporting cast is also excellent. Robbins’ Sheriff Cooper is giving David Harbour in Stranger Things vibes, which to say he’s hot-headed when he thinks he’s fingered the culprit and kind when it comes to empathizing with Deena or checking in on his young child. There’s not a ton of characterization because the character is primarily there to drive the investigation, collect the tapes and threaten suspects, but in terms of anchoring half of the film and keeping the plot moving, Robbins gets the job done.
Christensen regular Keegan Connor Tracy also appears as a Forestry Service agent named Liz who is tangentially embroiled in the case. Her primary responsibility is alerting the Sheriff that there’s been a rash of dog murders in recent weeks which suggests the killer’s activity is escalating.
If there is a criticism to be had, it is that the end of the film attempts to do too much, too quickly. Night of the Reaper is a whodunnit, so the reveal of the killer(s) and their motive is a large component of the climax, but while the film definitely goes to some unexpected places, it’s simply too rushed to satisfy.
While the film ends on a slight sour note, the vast majority of Night of the Reaper is a very fun time. Christensen has crafted up an old-school slasher throwback with a solid hook, a great Final Girl, and a story that unfolds at a good clip that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Night of the Reaper streams on Shudder this Friday, September 19.