Last The Night (Pacerville) (2022) Movie Review

The pandemic has brought the world to a standstill, and the film industry is no exception. Last the Night, also known as Pacerville, directed by Nick Leisure and written by himself and Tom Chilcoat, is set during the pandemic and stars Brian Austin Green in the lead role. However, it's not an over-exaggeration to categorize this movie as one of the worst movies in recent memory.

The movie revolves around John Dunbar (Brian Austin Green), a history teacher who plots revenge after getting made fun of by his students. Although the story takes place during the pandemic, it doesn't have any relevance to the plot. The film tries to be many things but excels at nothing. For the most part, it felt like things were randomly pieced together to form a bigger picture without much sense.

One of the biggest issues with the movie is the characters. They felt like a mismatch with the other characters and didn't blend well with the narrative of the plot. Every conversation in the movie didn't feel like it had any purpose, and was just there for the sake of it. The four students - Sadie (Makena Taylor), Trevor (Acoryé White), Miguel (David Valdes), and Genesis (Julia Quang) were poor throughout. Neither at any point did there feel any chemistry among the four, nor were they written well, with their only personality trait being that of 'consistently annoying.' The character of Miguel, in particular, was very cliché in the sense it gave an impression of a 'high school bully' from a 'teenage soap drama.'

Brian Austin Green in the lead was average at best but far from the worst part of the movie. He didn't do much with his character and lacked convolution in his portrayal. For the first act, there is absolutely nothing striking about his character as a lead. It was not until the second act that he showed glimpses of what was required of his character. But that doesn't compensate for his erratic and irregular performance.

The movie takes the audience for granted as it presents itself with dumb reasoning and explanations of different conjectures. Also, the fact that the conversations regarding the pandemic were mentioned needlessly all over the place. It tries to explain some character motivations as a natural reaction to the repercussions of the pandemic, but it fails to justify their relevance as they feel very unnecessary in general.

Another issue is that the build-up around the climax is put up in the least interesting way possible. It is very disengaging and doesn't feel worth it to wait around for the main event. It suffers from an identity crisis all over the place. The characters themselves remain confused about their intentions. For a thriller, it lacks the suspense, build-up, and gore/violence to stamp its authority, as it remains shallow in its approach. Since the other elements don't bode in well together, the shortcomings of less environmental knowledge also remain highlighted.

The movie fails to deliver on multiple fronts, and one of the most significant reasons for this is its lack of coherence. The plot seems to have been thrown together without much thought, and the characters don't feel authentic. Every conversation feels like it's there for the sake of it, and there's no real purpose behind them.

The lack of chemistry among the four students is also one of the major reasons why the movie fails to deliver. They don't feel like they belong in the same movie, and their personalities are shallow and one-dimensional.

Furthermore, the film suffers from several technical shortcomings. The cinematography is unremarkable and lacks creativity. The camera angles and movements are uninspired and do nothing to enhance the story or the characters. The editing is choppy and abrupt, making some scenes feel disjointed and confusing. The sound mixing is also subpar, with dialogue often drowned out by background noise and music.

One of the biggest issues with the film is its pacing. The first act is slow and plodding, with little happening to engage the audience. The second act picks up slightly, but still fails to create any real tension or suspense. The third act, where the supposed climax takes place, is rushed and poorly executed, with little payoff for the viewer. The pacing issues are compounded by the weak script, which fails to create compelling characters or an engaging story.

In terms of performances, the actors do what they can with the material they are given, but ultimately fall short. Brian Austin Green, who plays the lead role of John Dunbar, delivers a serviceable performance, but fails to bring any real depth or complexity to the character. The rest of the cast, including the four students who serve as the primary antagonists, are forgettable and one-dimensional. Their interactions with each other and with John Dunbar lack any real chemistry or tension.

In conclusion, ‘Last the Night’ is a disappointing film that fails to deliver on its promises. It is poorly paced, badly written, and features forgettable performances. The pandemic setting feels tacked on and unnecessary, and the attempts to tie it into the plot fall flat. The film suffers from an identity crisis, unsure of whether it wants to be a thriller, a drama, or a dark comedy. The technical aspects of the film, such as the cinematography and sound mixing, are unremarkable and do nothing to enhance the story. Overall, there is little to recommend about ‘Last the Night’, and viewers would be better served looking elsewhere for their pandemic-themed entertainment.