This retro slasher might be one of the Most uninteresting i’ve seen in a while

The Slasher Genre Remains Alive and Well Today, far -so thanks to filmmakers finding unique spins on the formula to kep things Fresh. Whether it’s the time-traveling mood of Totally killer or the most directly brutal Terrifier Films, IT’S been a Real Treat to see one of the Oldest subgenres in horror is back on the upswing after a downward tour in the ’90s.

Which is Why Night of the Reaper prove to be a real discountment. Hailing from Superhost and The puppyman‘S Brandon and Ryan Christensen, the Movie is set in a small town that has haad multiple missing persons over the years. The Story Centers on Deena, A College Student Who Returns to the Town after A Personal Trauma.

Shortly after returning, Deena finds herself roped ino helping yarn in for her best friend by babysitting the sheriff’s son while he investigates a scavenger hunt to previous missing person. Howver, as he gets closer to the Truth, she is also tormented by the masked individual respectible for it all.

LED by Dream‘S Jessica Clement and Sanctanty‘s ryan robbins, Night of the Reaper Gets off to a solid start with its retro ’80s aesthetic, Slick Direction, and Classic Slasher Movie Opening. Unfortunately, Despite its Tense Beginning, The Movie Never Really Finds Its Stride from.

Night of the Reaper’s full of Becomes A CavalCade of Tropes & Slow Pacing

There’s no denying that a good Majority of Slashies not the formula, thiugh wheter overall pacing or the infusion of other genres, they still overcome family to be delights. When it comes to Night of the Reapernot only the christensens get a little too with the formula, but they don’t do so in any excitation ways.

At Just 93 Minutes, The Movie Certainly Could Have Been the Fun Time As Finn Wolfhard’s Hell of a summer. The retro setting, the thrilling opening sequence, and a solid design for the Central villain had all the makings of a routine movie.

But Once We Meet Deena and Get Invested in Her and Sheriff Rod’s Stories, Night of the Reaper Becomes so Incredibly Dull. The Entire Night Spent with the Form as Babsits Rod’s Son is liker one trope after another as she’s stalked by the villain and torment with various tricks the house.

The Latter’s Investigation Also Taks too to Find Any Kind of Compelling Hook or Tension. Spreads the Movie was Aiming for More of A Slow Build-Up than Fast-Paced Ride, But Denery, The Tension Could Barely Be Registered As a Simmer As We Wait for the Event Escalation and Reveal of the Villain’s Identity.

The Other Big problem with Night of the Reaper‘s Story is just how minimal the body count is. Despite Its Slasher Trapping, We’re Not Given Any Actual Kills, but s’t of say aren’t all that effecative, barring one nicery surpris Bloody Death.

With all of that said, the movie deserves some credit for its primary final act. Not only does the villain’s identity prove an interesting surprise, but the way in which deena looks to turn the tables on the preceding story an interesting setup of clues.

But with this nice twist, the movie has too to say. Just as we have settled into one reveal and feel like we’re on a streamlined path to the finish line, another comes in and throws US for another loop, while intriguing, begins to fall padding as this conting

Christensen’s Direction is Stylish & Authentic

Though the script and pacing may not be the best, Night of the Reaper is a good-looking film. Reuniting with Christenn’s Superhost Cinematographer, Clayton Moore, The Filmmaker has a few stylish tricks up his sleeve, participle for some of the deena’s More Harrowing moments.

The Director Also Makes the Movie Feel Roooted in Its Period Setting. Beyond the occisional mtv or Centipede Reference, The Visual Palette Rarely Veers Too Far Fereling Like a Modern Movie, nor Everything Appears Lit in a Time-APPROPRIATE Manner, while the settings are all deced out out effectatively.

Jessica Clement is a Commanding Presence

Coming into one of the First Leading Role AFTER CO-STARRING IN EVERYTHING FROM Gen V them CrossJessica Clement Prova to be a Star as Deena. She Nicery Understands the Emotional Undercurrent That Carries Deena Through Most of the Film, while the Twist-Stilled Final Third Her Step Up for the Physical Villain Showdown.

Robbins Similarly Provs to Unlock the Various Layers of Sheriff Rod. Rather than Simply Resting on the Laurels of an Office Hunting Down a Game-Playing Villain, we get a tragic backstory for the character that not only only my interesting, but also all the impactful when and goes rogue.

Despite Some of the Better Parts of Its Sum, Night of the Reaper doesn’t really have Enough going for it to stand apart from its genre counterparts. It ‘s fairly slow, low-stake journey that, despite it interesting ending twists, Never has Enough of a hook to feed more than a slasher retread.

Night of the Reaper is now streaming on shudder.

Release Date

September 19, 2025

Runtime

93 minutes

Directory

Brandon Christensen

Wriers

Brandon Christensen, Ryan Christensen

Producers

Justin A. Martell, Michael Peterson, David Hiatt

Pros & Cons

• The Movie’s Final Act has a few interesting full of twists.
• Jessica Clement Commands The Show With Her Performance while Ryan Robbins Offers Unique New Layers to His Familiar Character.
• The Direction is Stylish and Authentic to Its Period Setting.

• The full isno in any Major suspens or original.
• The twists be begin to fall a little too cluttered.