Movie Review: ‘Late Night with the Devil’

“Late Night with the Devil” is a psychological horror masterpiece brought to us by director duo brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes. This film was released in theaters on March 22 here in the United States and has garnered a positive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Cairnes brothers also participated in the writing of the story. 

“Late Night with the Devil” is structured as a found footage horror film that allows its audience to view an episode of a 1970s late night talk show. There are also fictional documentary elements that give the viewers more background on the host of “Night Owls” which is the show that Jack Delroy — our protagonist — hosts. 

The specific episode featured in this film takes place on Halloween night, where Delroy is hosting experts on the occult in an effort to prove or disprove the presence of the supernatural. The characters that we see include a psychic medium, a skeptic, a doctor in parapsychology and a 13 year old girl who is believed to be possessed by the demon Abraxas. 

Delroy and his producer are attempting to get their ratings up so that “Night Owls” does not get canceled. They are hosting occult experts so that they can gain positive ratings due to shock value.

Throughout this entire film we see Delroy continuously ignore the warnings of his co-hosts and aforementioned experts because he is so blinded by the positive ratings he is receiving, which ultimately begins to unravel his entire show. 

The story for “Late Night with the Devil” is unique enough to have made the film interesting, but the reason for the positive audience response is arguably due to a perfect execution from the Cairnes brothers.

The setting of a late night talk show allows this horror film to feel fresh, like something you've never seen, and even humorous at times. Although all of the humor is forced, making it resemblant of a real life talk show. This forced humor ironically makes the film more endearing and genuinely funny at times. 

The setting also allows for a charming and warm feel, which is not something that you would expect from a horror film. There can be a lot of nostalgia for viewers who grew up watching late night talk shows — contributing to audience immersion.

Throughout this film, we are provided with exactly what the “live” audience sees when Delroy and his guests are on camera, and we get snippets of what happened during the “commercial breaks” provided to us in black and white to give any background information that is not provided “on screen.” This method is ultimately one of the more satisfying aspects of the film because it adds an element of mystery. By the end of the film, viewers will surely be left wondering “what actually happened?”

Other remarkable aspects of the cinematography include the foreshadowing “glitches” we see in the cameras when supernatural elements enter the room, the overall pacing and the film's ability to play on its viewers' auditory senses. 

Due to its setting, “Late Night with the Devil” is able to offer moderated silence throughout its runtime — however this silence is often filled with gasps, whispers and other commotion from the “live” audience — which enhances the immersive experience. These silences create a sense of anticipation from the crowd which is conveyed onto the real life viewers. Sound overall is a large part of this film, and it is done exceptionally well.

“Late Night with the Devil” is psychologically thrilling and does not rely on jumpscares to create an eerie environment. It doesn’t feel like a horror movie, it’s just genuinely horrifying.

While this movie adheres to most archetypes and tropes of the genre, it does so in a way that feels fresh because the Cairnes brothers made the stereotypes work for their plot, not the other way around. At times this movie can feel like a house of mirrors, with every horror greater than the last and no way to escape. “Late Night with the Devil” is a mystery that you may be able to unravel if you pick up on all of the tiny little clues sprinkled throughout. 

Toward the end of the film, we see that Delroy has regressed from being the star of the show to not knowing his place at all, leaving the viewer with a similar feeling. Very rarely is a horror film able to feel so immersive and make the audience feel as though they are actively watching the events of the story unfold. “Late Night with the Devil” will leave many viewers confused and unsatisfied at its end, which — because of its realism — is one of the reasons it is such a memorable psychological horror film.