Synopsis
A cross between The Shining and The Haunting of Hill House, THE NIGHT is set over a long dark night in a mysterious hotel, where a young couple are tormented by ghosts of the past. An outstanding debut feature from writer/director Kourosh Ahari, featuring fantastic lead performances from Shahab Hosseini (A Separation), and Niousha Noor (Here and Now), the film is soaked in dread and delivers some genuinely hair-raising horror moments.
Review
Now I will openly admit it has only been recently I have become interested in foreign films and with me enjoying a good horror film this made me intrigued to see what The Night was all about.
The film starts at a house party where we are introduced the main characters. The couple, Hosseini and Noor, are attending a get together with friends a few drinks are consumed. Here we see the cracks starting to appear in their relationship. This lays a good foundation for the story as it explains the type of relationship the couple have. Frayed would be a good starting description.
The story begins to ramp up as the couple decide to bed down for the night in a rather conspicuous looking hotel. Maybe they should’ve checked TripAdvisor first before booking the night. We soon find out that all is not as it seems in the hotel, something strange is a foot or is it more a case of someone?
As the film unfolds various events begin to occur but you are left unsure as to what is real and what is imaginary. Are the events all in their imagination or are the events actually happening? You just keep asking yourself that question. The hotel traps the couple within its walls, trapping them within their nightmare caused by their own hidden secrets. To stop the nightmare and unlock the hellish hotel prison they must face the secrets they keep and reveal what they are keeping from each other.
The story is very well played out and well written, you are constantly questioning what you believe is happening, with it predominantly in Farsi it can be hard to follow in places for non-native speakers. This isn’t a film you can just switch off as it commands your full attention throughout. For me, Hosseini and Noor are the perfect on screen partnership. You can see the chemistry comes through on screen with both of them playing out stellar performances bringing the story to life and making you feel different emotions with the couple.
Verdict
The Night is definitely a film you will be fully engaged with throughout. Jump scares are there keeping you on the edge of your seat and gripped to the story whilst making you go through the same emotions the couple do.
8/10
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