Night of the Reaper Review – A Fever Dream Slasher Drenched in Analog Shadows

Jessica Clement faces a masked killer in Brandon Christensen’s Night of the Reaper, streaming September 19 on Shudder.

Night of the Reaper Review

Brandon Christensen’s Night of the Reaper arrives on Shudder September 19. It’s a slasher presented in the style of 80s analog video, with dark filters, muted color, and a worn look that feels like you’re watching through an old tape.

The story is simple: Deena (Jessica Clement) fills in for a babysitting job after her friend gets sick, only to end up the target of a masked killer. Sheriff Rod (Ryan Robbins) becomes drawn into the night’s events as connections between the town, the victims, and the killer come into focus. The figure behind the mask resembles a mix between a cloaked reaper and Ghostface, keeping the appearance familiar but effective.

The film stretches a lean 90 minutes but doesn’t rush. Instead, it moves with a dreamlike rhythm, dipping into sequences that feel more about tone and pacing than direct plot. While some of this can feel repetitive, it eventually ties together in a way that gives the film structure.

What Night of the Reaper offers is less about surprise and more about atmosphere. It is built as a clear nod to 80s slashers, from the setting to the kills to the VHS-styled image. That will divide viewers. For some, it’s comfort viewing—a reminder of what late-night horror once felt like. For others, it may feel like a retread of territory already covered in films like Maxine or countless other “retro” slashers.

The young cast handles their roles well, with Clement carrying much of the story and Robbins bringing in the grounded presence of a genre regular. The conclusion uses misdirection to land stronger than expected, and while the film doesn’t reinvent anything, it respects the form it’s working in.

Final Score: 3 out of 5

A slasher that works within its chosen style. Familiar, steady, and occasionally inventive, though it doesn’t escape the weight of how many films have already gone down the same road.

Director: Brandon Christensen

Written by: Brandon Christensen and Ryan Christensen

Cast: Jessica Clement, Ryan Robbins, Summer H. Howell, Matty Finochio

Max Christensen, Ben Cockell, Bryn Samuel, Savannah Miller, Susan Serrao, Huxley Fisher, Isla Spencer, Blair Young, Drake Seipert