What would you do if someone broke into your house in the middle of the night looking for something? That is what happens to Heather (Michelle Rose) and Mark (Kurt Yue) when they wake up to Parker (Carlos Aviles) in their new home. Now there is a dead body in their bedroom, and the clock is ticking as they try to find what he was looking in an hour before calling police. Only, things obviously do not go as they thought. Thanks to TriCoast, Nerds and Beyond received a screener of By Night’s End to review.
There will be spoilers about the movie below. The film also has subjects of PTSD, loss of a child, and violence.
Having recently moved into the house, Mark and Heather have no idea that only a few months before, there was something stashed there. Mark is setting up a small Christmas tree in a minimalistic decorated living room. Coming across a picture of a little girl, he stops to look at it before putting it back in the box as Heather comes home. After supper and an argument about their financial struggles and other issues, they turn in for the night.
Heather wakes up after hearing a noise. Armed with a flashlight and her gun, she searches the perimeter. Something to know about Heather is that she is an ex-Sergeant who suffers from PTSD. But let’s get to the surprising part. She comes back to her bedroom where Mark and robber Parker are and ends up killing Parker. Heather wants her husband to call the police, considering there is a dead body. But Mark takes a shocking route. He wants to wait an hour before calling them to search the house for what Parker was there for since it is worth a lot of money. After a short argument, she agrees. This scene shows the almost desperation Mark has to fix things and make things right.
Of course, Parker was not alone. Moody (Michael Aaron Milligan) enters the film wanting what Parker was getting for him back. This character instantly became my favorite. He was very eccentric and charismatic with his over-the-top mannerisms was a joy every time he was on screen or I heard his voice – even though he was there threatening to kill them. Through some clips, we see that he is talking with someone else, a boss possibly, but who? From there, it is drama, death, and more. It does make you wonder, though, what is hidden in your house?
Overall, the movie was enjoyable. The progression seemed to match with the character’s decisions. Despite all going on around them, there was character some growth, in the sense of communication, especially after their attic conversation. During that conversation, you learn what happened to Heather in Iraq and how their daughter died. Both of them carrying heavy, heavy guilt.
It was once again a nice change to see the woman kick ass, take down the bad guys, and save the day. It was a little problematic that only one neighbor at the start heard the few gunshots but not all the noise from all the rest of the night. They could be heavy sleepers, I guess. The way the movie ended was conflicting. It was in no way what I thought would happen or where it would go, but at the same time, it also left it open for a continuation.
The film was directed by Walker Whited (Curved), who co-wrote it with Sean McCane (Weird Ending). It featured stunt performer and actress Michelle Rose (Maid to Order), Kurt Yue (Insatiable), Michael Aaron Milligan (24: Legacy), Carlos Aviles (Good Girls), Matt LaBorde (Stunt performer in The Walking Dead), Jeff Ridgway (Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda), Troy Faruk (Stunt double/performer Black Lightning), and Lucius Baston (Lovecraft Country).
By Night’s End will be available on October 6 on Amazon, iTunes, DirecTv, Google Play, Vudu, FLixFling, and AT&T.