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Stars: Maggie Q, Philip Burke, Ito Aghayere 
Director: Neil LaBute
Distributor: 101 Films

“Let’s get it done tonight.”

From 101 Films, Maggie Q kicks ass throughout the night in the countryside in the latest home invasion thriller, Fear the Night.

Opening with a bruised and battered Tess stumbling out of a country house, Fear the Night treats us with the “24 hours earlier” caption where we become witness to the chaos that preceded. Tess finds herself attending one of her sisters’ bachelorette party, featuring a generic host of women, where the war veteran stands out like a sore thumb.

After a war of words encounter with a crew of sleazy rednecks at the gas station, Tess finds herself looking over her shoulders and judging every stranger in which she and her fellow party guests encounter. Including the chef and stripper (same person) hired for the occasion. As the night draws closer, so does the action. After a series of arrows attacking both the property and the guests, Tess finds herself under attack from a masked enemy outside and it’s only a matter of time until they enter the house.

For a home invasion film, the invasion itself takes its time to finally occur. Unfortunately, much of the buildup to the chaos is fairly bland. Tess being out of place, as well as her post-war issues, are obvious destinations for dialogue, including frustration and irritation, amongst the party girls. Despite Tess’ clear lack of enthusiasm and no-shows during the party, she subsequently exists as a figure of being in the right place at the right time, though her presence is completely unbeknownst to the home invaders. Somewhat Die Hard-ish.

Late into Fear the Night, the influence for the invasion becomes apparent as well as gore-driven fight back led by Tess. But these both occur quite late into the film. Positively, Fear the Night does evolve into a strong force of women on the attack, and fully equipped with uncomfortable realism. The gore is certainly effective. However, the semi-shock value of a potato peeler to the crotch or a knife to the throat – both graphic in presentation – both feel that part of their purpose is to mask the bland shortcomings prior in the film.

Ultimately, under writer-director Neil LaBute, Fear the Night has the exploitative issue of feeling like nothing at all, and then everything all at once, but by papering the cracks with blood. The action is great, and whilst feeling it to occur too late, the sickening and gratuitous nature of the violence feels somewhat exaggerated.