Softwing
Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
Mehdi Hoffman
There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.
Yazmin
Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.
AvroLancaster
In a time of mindless giant robot fighting films, explosions and car chases, rendered on banks of servers, When Night Falls is a breath of fresh air.Made for around US$10,000 and shot over 10 days (according to the Directors Commentary on the DVD), this film achieves what the mega budget films so often fail to do.The story is a good old fashioned thriller, reminiscent of the classics. A suspect, a few red herrings thrown in and an atmospheric location all contribute to an enjoyable experience.Director Galvin was certainly ambitious with the given budget, by placing the story in 1932 New Zealand. However, it paid off. The period costumes, cars and locations are spot on, and add to the 'classic thriller' feeling.This film is NOT going to appeal to the teenage boys who hunger for hard bodies draped over the bonnets of alien transforming robot cars....It WILL certainly be appreciated and enjoyed by the more discerning film goer, not only for the story, but for the work and effort Galvin has put into the film, an obvious labour of love.
jtaite1
When Night Falls is almost a Jekyll and Hyde kind of film.After a great little prologue, the first half is very slow and atmospheric. Apart from getting to know the characters, not a lot else happens.Then, in the second half, all hell breaks loose! There's lots of scares, actions, twists...everything!!I really loved the second half, but personally did find the buildup of the first half too slow. I can see that the director wanted us to get to know and care about the characters, which is great, but a few boo moments or something would have helped to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.So: First half - 5/10 Second half - 10/10 Overall - 7/10
jamieson2653
This was a really enjoyable psychological thriller. A nice homage to to those great suspense films of the 1930s and 1940s.The film has a very deliberate pace and setup, which I can see wouldn't be to everyone's taste. This isn't a film for people with short attention spans. However, I found it really gripping from beginning to end.Even though the film starts quietly, there is a real sense of dread right from the opening. There's never any doubt that bad things are going to start happening. It's just a case of when.The middle section is all about scares, and there's plenty of them. The girls around me had their heads in their hands more often than not...The ending was a real surprise. Perhaps not entirely believable, but I certainly didn't see it coming. And judging by the screams around me, neither did many others.The acting, particularly by the two nurses, Tania Nolan and Rosella Hart, was excellent. They have by far the majority of screen time together and really play off each other well.This was a really enjoyable film. It's clear that a great deal of care, craft and talent went into it, and it's a welcome addition to New Zealand's film titles.
petersmithe55
When Night Falls is definitely one of the most enjoyable, and suspenseful films I've seen in a while. It's starts out as quite a straightforward story about three women trapped in an isolated house with a possible killer lurking in the area. The type of horror setup we've all seen countless times before. But very soon it becomes a real psychological game of cat and mouse, in which you've got no idea what will happen next. Some people might find the film's first half a little slow moving, but I thought that actually worked really well in building up atmosphere and getting us to know, and care about the characters. The second half, though, is very much the film's highlight, with some really great scares, action and twists! This is a must see for those who enjoy a good scare and lots of surprises.
