I felt the first half of the story probably could have just played out as the whole story, rather than the awkward introduction of the redneck B-Team, brought in part way through the second act. Maybe I only was as accepting of Tonight She Comes because of just how atrocious the films I watched either side of it were, and I was overly-grateful by comparison, but irrespective of the reasoning, I still thought by the time it was all done that it was... okay.
Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole.
2019-07-17Well made and haunting, but the last act is needlessly disgusting and boring
Two guys and two girls meet at a remote Missouri property where some strange and horrifying things are happening.
“Tonight She Comes” (2016) is a proficient Indie horror with a good score and haunting vibe, not to mention the lovely Larissa White as protagonist Ashley. The director doesn’t fail to highlight her beauty (not talkin’ ’bout nudity; he uses another actress for that). Despite a couple cavils (like the idiotic masturbation scene and how Pete wanders through the woods to the exact abode where James is delivering mail), it’s very good for the first two acts, but then it devolves into a dull and gross bloody ritual with the requisite tedious gobbledygook. Then there’s the “shocking” final scene that’s too absurd to be taken seriously (think the eye-rolling ending of “Sharknado”).
Nevertheless, the writer/director is clearly talented and will go on to great things if he perseveres. He just needs to work the kinks out of his scripts, like nonsensical or pointless parts. He also needs to grasp that being as disgusting and “shocking” as possible doesn’t make up for compelling storytelling.
I should add that this isn’t a comedy/horror, as it’s sometimes listed. There are some amusing antics with the youths partying at the small lake, but it’s otherwise serious horror.
The movie runs 1 hour, 24 minutes, and was shot in Missouri.
GRADE: C
2020-04-19
