TV Review - Into the Dark: Midnight Kiss

This is part of a series on Hulu that is produced for Jason Blum. It seems like an excuse for Blum's company, Blumhouse Productions, to do even cheaper horror films that deal with more topical issues that would appeal to the Millennial generation or at least to a more diverse set of young people. I never really paid attention to the series, but this episode provides something that isn't provided much in the horror genre. I just wrote an article and review of Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street about how there is a lack of horror films with openly gay protagonists. The beef was more against this lacking in theatrically released cinema. This episode doesn't rectify the issue, but it does provide LGBTQ fans of horror with something. Unfortunately, that something isn't that great.

The problem might be in the talent behind the camera. Director Carter Smith and screenwriter Erlingur Thoroddsen are the two talents working here. Both Smith and Thoroddsen are openly gay filmmakers. Both have done horror films famously and almost exclusively. One would think in that regard that both men would be perfect for this project. However, this project is at its core a slasher flick and the slasher flick has a particular vibe, a more action vibe than the kind of horror films that Smith and Thoroddsen have done before.

Smith directed The Ruins (2008), which has some action elements to it, but his other films include a short film called Bugcrush (2006) and a ghost story called Jamie Marks Is Dead (2014). Those films are less known for action or the killing of characters but more known for their creepy atmospheres and weird, character studies. Thoroddsen wrote and directed two features prior. Both were horror flicks. One was basically a psychological drama called Rift (Rökkur) (2017). That film was also not about its kills but more about mood. It's not to argue that Smith and Thoroddsen couldn't do one, but their résumés don't make them obvious choices to do a slasher flick.

Where the film fails immediately is that the kills aren't scary. They're not even all that interesting. A few of them are gross and gory to a degree, but they aren't thrilling or even exciting. They're boring if anything. Openly gay screenwriter, Kevin Williamson wrote one of the most clever slasher films in nearly 25 years and that was Scream (1996). One of the most memorable murders in that film was its opening murder. The first murder in a film can set the tone. Williamson's first kill set the tone for something incredible. The first murder here sets the tone for something generic and dull.

The first kill is basically a boring rip-off of Alfred Hitchcock's classic kill in Psycho (1960). What's great is that Hitchcock's classic kill was unexpected. It came out of nowhere. It was a true surprise. The first kill here is so telegraphed that you can see it coming from two miles away. It isn't subverted in any fashion. It isn't interesting in any shape, and throwing glitter on a corpse doesn't count. There's something authentic about these murders not being drawn out, being fast and rather dull, but, what this movie gains in authenticity, it loses in suspense. It also doesn't make sense that the killer wears a mask because the mystery element isn't utilized to any suspenseful purpose.

Even if the kills aren't that interesting, the film could be attempting to say something beyond the kills that could be. This film seems to be saying something about gay culture. What it's saying could be commenting on its narcissism, selfishness, the online culture and the kind of incestuousness that can arise among circle of friends who are queer men. Otherwise, the motive of the killer is a bit lame and his kills go to those themes, but the film doesn't explore them all that well.

Augustus Prew (The Morning Show and Special) stars as Cameron, a photographer who is about to have an exhibition at an art gallery in Los Angeles. Every year, he goes with his friends to party on New Year's Eve. He's done so since 2013. Over the past five years, he and his friends have had various hook-ups within their friend group. His ex-boyfriend is now engaged to someone else and Cameron is trying to deal with it, as well as move on. It gets to a point quickly that he's going to be the "final girl." He's one of several twinks who are targets as victims here. Unfortunately, he makes dumb choices, especially at the end, which is never fun when characters get dumb at the end instead of smarter.

The film's staging of things in the house where all the murders happen is awkward and confusing.
The way the movie shoots and edits events it's never clear what's happening. People disappear and reappear with no sense of what's occurring. I suppose it's meant to be confusing in order to make it scarier, but instead it's just frustrating. Cameron has a chance to escape, but he goes back to the house for no real reason. The phones don't work for no reason.

Scott Evans (Grace & Frankie and One Life to Live) co-stars as Joel, a guy in the gay community who could be described as an otter. In gay slang, a twink is a boyish, skinny guy. In gay slang, a bear is an overweight or muscular, hairy guy. An otter is a body-type that is in between a twink and a bear. It's not clear what Joel does for work, but it's obvious that he is wealthy. He's rich enough to rent a large house in Palm Springs with a large swimming pool for New Year's Eve. He's also rich enough to stock it with all kinds of amenities like expensive champagne and organize a bunch of group activities. He's engaged to a guy whom he doesn't seem to love and the film doesn't explore that relationship, so revelations about that relationship later don't resonate or are all that shocking. Evans though gives the best performance of anybody else and it makes you wish to see Evans lead more films.

Rated TV- MA.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 29 mins.

Available on Hulu.