It’s been a while since I’ve been creeped out by a film. Last Shift is a 2014 low budget horror directed by Anthony DiBlasi. For a film with limited budget, it did what they sought out to do. To creep the living lights out of people, and they did so effectively.

It was misleading at first because it made me believe that they weren’t going to supply us an explanation or a proper backstory to what was happening, and being that it was low budget, I was already expecting it from the get go. But I was wrong, the way they told the story was good, it wasn’t forced in any way and it blended right into the narrative.

Characters

All the cast were great, specially the three antagonist that we see in the television, the man and the two women.

Jessica Loren (played by Juliana Harkavy) at first seemed unmoved by the supernatural things going around her in the station, and I wanted more from her, because almost 90% of the film was on her, and I wanted her to project more fear. She fell short on that aspect though in the beginning, but before credits rolled, that final reveal scene, that was beautiful. Her face of terror was perfect.

John Michael Paymon (played by Joshua Mikel), though he only had a short appearance in the movie, the terror he brings is legit and man I got scared, specially when he’s in his transformed state. For added information, the name “Paymon” is taken from the demon name Paimon. According to The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King, Paimon is one of the Kings of Hell, more obedient to Lucifer than other kings, and has two hundred legions of demons under his rule.

Special effects and sounds

The effects in Last Shift were higher than B-movie tier and they utilized it perfectly. When they show ghosts walking by, people hanged by their necks, everything were shot and shown perfectly and it just oozes creepiness. They even outdid modern horror movies like The Deliverance (such a crappy made movie).

They didn’t incorporate that much music/sound like Insidious does. They stick to the sounds that the characters and objects were making, and it makes one more anxious.

The pacing was good, dialogue was great as well.

Conclusion

The ending of Last Shift though, that was very well done. I was hooked on that bait and got fooled. Her face of terror to realizing what she just did was horror at it’s finest. It was a well placed reveal and deserving of its build up. One of the best reveals I’ve watched in recent years.

Last Shift is highly recommendable. It gives me the creeps and with nightmare inducing scenes. For a low budget horror movie, this is cream of the crop.

There is also a remake of this of the same director, titled “Malum (2023)”. The plot is mostly the same, even some of the set pieces were used again as well. I haven’t watched it yet so I’m not sure how it compares to the original, but if its really the same but with more budget, count me in!