• Fear the Night Movie Review

Hey gang, Valkor here. It's been some time since I've reviewed a film starring Maggie Q - The King of Fighters. And that didn't sit too well with yours truly. However, her next film on the TOV chopping block, Fear the Night, is an action/thriller that I feel is worth checking out.

Fear the Night


Fear the Night kicks things off with Maggie Q's Tess, walking alone on a dusty, deserted road where she's covered in blood, tired, and you can tell she's been through some stuff; We have no idea where she's been or where she's going. But the film backtracks 24 hours when Tess returns from Iraq deployment, feuding with one sister, Beth (Kat Foster) while prepping for another sister's bachelorette party. The ceremony takes place in the family's remote farmhouse, where a few friends also attend, along with a stripper/chef. The ceremony is interrupted when a group of home invaders surround the house. Their goal is to acquire some money hidden in the farmhouse's attic. Unfortunately for the murderous thieves, they don't know that Tess is a badass with the moves to back it up. And trust me, she got the moves! I won't go into detail about how she dispatches the thugs. But she does take them out in true action-hero fashion.

Fear the Night


The film ends with an epilogue where Tess faces questions about what happened in that house. My takeaway from this scene is that it gives way to a possible sequel, where Tess could face off with the town's sheriff. Honestly? I really hope there is a part two!

Fear the Night


The Good:

Fear the Night is an intense action thriller that locks you in from the moment it starts until its dramatic ending. The story is clear-cut and well-written, save for the dialogue. But we'll get into that in the next section. I've seen storytelling like this before, though, and it's not really outstanding. Yet, it's still a ton of fun. The action isn't heavy as there aren't bullets flying everywhere or a crazy amount of explosions. But what you get is more than enough to keep things entertaining. Plus, there are a couple of scenes that are, shall we say, uncomfortable? Yes. Yes, they were. I thought the acting, overall, was good. But huge props to Maggie Q for putting on such a strong performance in her role as Tess. She's tough, always on guard, yet distant from the rest of the pack. She's the type of character I could hang with, yet you'd want to watch yourself or you might lose a finger or three if you make the wrong move. Ultimately, Fear the Night is a film I enjoy and will definitely be watched again and again.

Fear the Night


The Bad:

First, the dialogue; It's not too corny, but there are certain instances where it feels awkward. For example, during Tess and Beth's argument at the start of the film. That whole back-and-forth between them didn't flow as smoothly as I'd like. And I felt the same way upon a second viewing. It's not throughout the entire film. But there were scenes, where the dialogue didn't sit right with me. Finally, I feel Maggie Q's action skills are underutilized in this film. Maybe it was the budget or maybe this is how her character was written. Regardless, there could have been a couple more guys for her to take out that would truly showcase her ferocity. Give me part two, dammit!!

Fear the Night


The Ugly:

N/A

Fear the Night


Fear the Night is available now on streaming services such as Paramount+, Google Play Store, or Apple TV. And if you're looking for an action film that's straightforward, entertaining, has a solid story, and plenty of action. Then you don't need to look any further. I recommend checking this one out. And out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving Fear the Night a 4.

Fear the Night