Running Time: 84 Minutes
Starring: Kit Lang, Abria Jackson, Russ Russo, Vince Benvenuto, Gigi Gustin, John Schaub, Tony Savino
Opening Night of Violence is the sight of a room, showcasing the aftermath of a party where balloons and confetti lay on the floor. It is reasonable to assume that the celebrations have ended when a figure appears dragging a dead body across the vacant room, leaving the festivities to morph into a violent night. Of the ways that co-writer/director Illya Konstantin could open his feature debut, this is a method that hopes to catch one's attention.
At a pharmaceutical company, the employees are forced to attend an office party in celebration of the company's victory in a class action lawsuit. While Elliott (Kit Lang) struggles with his conscience, most of his coworkers embrace the debauchery of the evening. Meanwhile, the townspeople who were impacted by the firm's actions have decided to enact vengeance, as they don masks and infiltrate the party to commit bloody murder.
Early on in the runtime, an advert appears for a pharmaceutical drug that promises pain relief, where people put on fake smiles and wear outfits that are colour-coordinated with the setting around them. Matters worsen as the listed side effects increase, something matched by the people on-screen growing more unhinged. This is an effective idea that would have made for an interesting short film in its own right, even if the satire is far from biting. However, there is a less interesting film surrounding this small section.
Informing the central conflict is the pharmaceutical company, who prioritise their profit margins above helping people with their product. Considering the not too distant events involving UnitedHealthCare, it is a plot which holds greater relevance to real world events, and makes the execution feel even more lacking. It is also noticeable how the societal messages feel barely addressed, paying lip service at best.
What's truly baffling is how co-writers Konstantin and Christopher Lang approach this. The story makes it clear how the public have been wronged, and their murderous actions could be a fascinating glimpse at their desperation in the face of failed justice. Yet, there feels like little attempt to sell their motivations, or to make them more than faceless boogeymen. Instead, the sympathy is reserved for the frightened corporate workers propping up this unjust system, and leaving the lead one as a mouthpiece for the real victims.
But, what about the characters that the film follows? The majority of the time is spent on Elliott, an awkward guy whose initial impression involves his trousers accidentally dropping, and Janelle, his newly single love interest. However, it is a struggle to believe in anything related to the characters courtesy of wafer-thin characterisation and the questionable performances. Not even the bare minimum is spent to sell these relationships, so why should we care when the death count rises? Having someone repeatedly cry that a dead character was their friend is not an effective shortcut to selling their bond.
Even if one wanted to avoid any messaging and just enjoy the kills, it is a struggle to recommend that element. Any entertainment value is diminished courtesy of the CG blood and awkward editing, as both hamper the on-screen carnage and add to the frustrating experience. Across the 84-minute runtime, Night of Violence is a contrived experience that feels more mechanical than a Transformer.
Night of Violence made its UK Premiere at FrightFest 2025
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