My quick rating – 3.8/10. I’ve been tucking away Halloween-related flicks in a playlist to check out during #Shocktober, and One Night in October was one of those titles I’d somehow never seen or even heard of. Sometimes these forgotten little horror movies turn out to be hidden gems. Other times, you spend 104 minutes wondering if you should have just watched Halloween for the 47th time. Guess which category we’re leaning toward here?
The description promises a suburban town full of residents being tormented by murderous characters, both real and supernatural, as their stories intertwine into one terrifying night. Sounds promising enough, right? We begin with some nice, perfectly ordinary autumn scenery before an ominous title card reminds us that we picked a horror movie, not a travel video. Then comes upbeat music and people putting up Halloween decorations. Ah, the joys of suburban life, where nothing says seasonal fun quite like unknowingly preparing your house for a bloodbath.
One of our new homeowners is Michelle (Jessica Morgan), who meets Hewitt (Dustin Rieffer) while explaining that she’s new to the neighborhood. We then head to a cornfield, where four other unfortunate souls discover that their truck has broken down. A couple head off to find a neighbor and borrow a phone, leaving the other two behind. Naturally, someone wearing a mask is watching them. Because apparently, roadside assistance isn’t the only service operating after dark.
The mask, however, isn’t their biggest problem. That would be the enormous axe. Unfortunately, some of the kills happen offscreen, which is a pet peeve of mine when murder is supposed to be one of the main attractions. This isn’t a Sherlock Holmes mystery where we’re piecing together clues. It’s a low-budget slasher! If you’re going to bring out the axe, at least let us see what it does.
Meanwhile, Emma (Rachel Netherton) hasn’t seen her boyfriend Dominic (Nathan O. Miller) in a while, thanks to her being away at school. Their conversation hints at mental health struggles and some unexplained reason they can’t be together. I’m guessing these are our three storylines destined to collide, although the film takes its time getting there.
Michelle and Hewitt also find themselves knocked out and tied up by masked intruders who seem more interested in stealing things than immediately murdering everyone. The movie repeatedly plays the “he or she isn’t who you think they are” card, but when you keep pulling the same trick, the surprises start losing their bite. I’m being vague since there is more than stab, bleed, repeat, and I don’t want to spoil the little surprise it does have.
The acting is about what you’d expect for the budget, and the horror never gets that intense. Still, the practical effects deliver some blood and gore, even if the camera seems more squeamish than the audience. Credit to writer-director Christopher M. Carter for weaving the anthology concept into an interconnected narrative rather than simply presenting three separate stories. It’s a modest attempt to break away from the usual slasher formula, and I appreciate the effort.
Unfortunately, the pacing could use a serious trim, and 104 minutes feels excessive for what amounts to a fairly modest horror outing. One Night in October isn’t a complete waste of an evening, but neither is it essential Halloween viewing. You could certainly do worse, though you could also do considerably better. Keep it on the playlist if you’re clearing the horror backlog, but don’t cancel your Halloween party for it.
