Review of Last Shift (2014) by Tasha H — 26 Oct 2015

Ever since a young age, I've always been in-love, fascinated, and thrilled with horror movies. Like, The Exorcist, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Omen to just a name a few. The intense, weary, and gut-clinching feelings were always exhilarating! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find that one movie; where it scares me to extent of almost peeing myself, or unable to fall asleep after watching it, like when I was younger. A friend recommended I watch "Last Shift". She knows the love I have for horror movies, and said that this particular movie will, "do me in". While I watched it, I looked for the 5 basic criteria's; one looks out for in horror movies. The storyline/plot, atmosphere, monster/villain, originality, and of course how scary it was.

STORY-LINE/PLOT: The story-line to any movie is important, especially in horror movies. Without a reasoning, or point to the movie why would anyone watch it? What's the reasoning for all the killing, or craziness that goes on in the movie? The movie Last Shift had a basic story-line. A rookie cop, Jessica; whose father was murdered; while working for the same police department, by a sadistic cult-like man named Paymon, is working her first shift on the last night of a closing police station, alone. As soon as the shift begins, unexplainable things begin to happen; repeat phone calls from a mysterious girl, opening and closing of doors, and objects moving by themselves. She then begins hearing ghostly voices in the cells, rooms, and over her radio. Seeing dead people, and even talking to them. She learns the truth about her father's death, and the death of the man who killed him. How even though the killer is dead, he still tortures the living. The story-line of the movie was good, and made sense. It was, at times confusing, but when you learn more about the character, and finally about the villain, it all comes together. With a twisted ending.

ATMOSPHERE: Atmosphere for a horror movie is the second most important part for me. The atmosphere of a horror movie should put the audience on the edge of their seat. Unsure of what is going to happen next, and yet dying to know. Last Shift had it! I like how right from the moment she walks into the station, you get this strange, eerie, unsettling feeling. The station is a run-down, tattered, and forsaken dungeon. Add on the creepy, harassing, and frightening ghostly disturbances; kept my attention.

MONSTER/VILLAIN: The villain, or monster of a horror movie should be dreadful, unforgettable, and devilish. If they aren't scary, or twisted in some sadistic kind of way; you lose the audience immediately. Last Shift captured just that. The miscreant criminal is a man named John Paymon; who, while alive, captured, tortured, and killed innocent young girls. He was a nightmarish man, who believed he was more powerful, and less merciful then the devil himself. While in custody, Paymon, and his two followers hang themselves in their cell. Leaving behind an evil, fiendish, and soulless imprint; on not just the cell they died in, but the entire police department. They appear with white blooded clothes over their heads, laughing in an inhumane way, and humming an unsettling song that sends a shiver down your spine. They also make an apparition of one young soul they beat to death, with a baseball bat; who is just as ugly, and shudder some; come alive, and petrify the rookie cop all night. The villain(s) in Last Shift were chilling, alarming and unpleasant; in a good way.

ORGINIALITY: Now a days, it's hard to make any movie "original". You have more remakes, knock-offs, and similar movies coming out every month; especially horror movies. Last Shift is one of these kind of movies. Where I felt was similar to others, like; The Sixth Sense, Sinister, the Grudge, and many others. What I did like a lot, and something you don't see too often, is that the main character is the only lead. In most horror movies you have the lead, second lead, and so on and so forth. Like the boyfriend, the best friend, or group of friends that get killed off one by one. Jessica, the main character, is not just the lead (and female lead at that), but is alone basically through this entire movie, fighting this supernatural battle herself. That is one particular point of the movie I enjoyed quite a bit.

SCARE-SCALE: "Last Shift" was an all-around great thriller! There were parts that made me jump, squirm, and even squeal. The story-line/ plot, atmosphere, and villain(s) were hair-raising, dreadful, and chilling. Sadly, it wasn't the scariest I've seen, and surely did not "do me in." It was a disturbingly good film, and I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a thriller/horror movie. It was surely a great way to spend my Saturday night.

Ever since a young age, I've always been in-love, fascinated, and thrilled with horror movies. Like, The Exorcist, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Omen to just a name a few. The intense, weary, and gut-clinching feelings were always exhilarating! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find that one movie; where it scares me to extent of almost peeing myself, or unable to fall asleep after watching it, like when I was younger. A friend recommended I watch "Last Shift". She knows the love I have for horror movies, and said that this particular movie will, "do me in". While I watched it, I looked for the 5 basic criteria's; one looks out for in horror movies. The storyline/plot, atmosphere, monster/villain, originality, and of course how scary it was.

STORY-LINE/PLOT: The story-line to any movie is important, especially in horror movies. Without a reasoning, or point to the movie why would anyone watch it? What's the reasoning for all the killing, or craziness that goes on in the movie? The movie Last Shift had a basic story-line. A rookie cop, Jessica; whose father was murdered; while working for the same police department, by a sadistic cult-like man named Paymon, is working her first shift on the last night of a closing police station, alone. As soon as the shift begins, unexplainable things begin to happen; repeat phone calls from a mysterious girl, opening and closing of doors, and objects moving by themselves. She then begins hearing ghostly voices in the cells, rooms, and over her radio. Seeing dead people, and even talking to them. She learns the truth about her father's death, and the death of the man who killed him. How even though the killer is dead, he still tortures the living. The story-line of the movie was good, and made sense. It was, at times confusing, but when you learn more about the character, and finally about the villain, it all comes together. With a twisted ending.

ATMOSPHERE: Atmosphere for a horror movie is the second most important part for me. The atmosphere of a horror movie should put the audience on the edge of their seat. Unsure of what is going to happen next, and yet dying to know. Last Shift had it! I like how right from the moment she walks into the station, you get this strange, eerie, unsettling feeling. The station is a run-down, tattered, and forsaken dungeon. Add on the creepy, harassing, and frightening ghostly disturbances; kept my attention.

MONSTER/VILLAIN: The villain, or monster of a horror movie should be dreadful, unforgettable, and devilish. If they aren't scary, or twisted in some sadistic kind of way; you lose the audience immediately. Last Shift captured just that. The miscreant criminal is a man named John Paymon; who, while alive, captured, tortured, and killed innocent young girls. He was a nightmarish man, who believed he was more powerful, and less merciful then the devil himself. While in custody, Paymon, and his two followers hang themselves in their cell. Leaving behind an evil, fiendish, and soulless imprint; on not just the cell they died in, but the entire police department. They appear with white blooded clothes over their heads, laughing in an inhumane way, and humming an unsettling song that sends a shiver down your spine. They also make an apparition of one young soul they beat to death, with a baseball bat; who is just as ugly, and shudder some; come alive, and petrify the rookie cop all night. The villain(s) in Last Shift were chilling, alarming and unpleasant; in a good way.

ORGINIALITY: Now a days, it's hard to make any movie "original". You have more remakes, knock-offs, and similar movies coming out every month; especially horror movies. Last Shift is one of these kind of movies. Where I felt was similar to others, like; The Sixth Sense, Sinister, the Grudge, and many others. What I did like a lot, and something you don't see too often, is that the main character is the only lead. In most horror movies you have the lead, second lead, and so on and so forth. Like the boyfriend, the best friend, or group of friends that get killed off one by one. Jessica, the main character, is not just the lead (and female lead at that), but is alone basically through this entire movie, fighting this supernatural battle herself. That is one particular point of the movie I enjoyed quite a bit.

SCARE-SCALE: "Last Shift" was an all-around great thriller! There were parts that made me jump, squirm, and even squeal. The story-line/ plot, atmosphere, and villain(s) were hair-raising, dreadful, and chilling. Sadly, it wasn't the scariest I've seen, and surely did not "do me in." It was a disturbingly good film, and I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a thriller/horror movie. It was surely a great way to spend my Saturday night.