This is an interactive horror film that offers a different experience due to a vibe of twists. For those who love both talk shows and horror, Late Night with the Devil combines these two formats into a relentless ride that does not hold back. The writing is stellar, the continuity is obscure, and the scenes are a blur of enticing excitement. Late Night with the Devil is a film where the fun never ends. The Halloween theme in Late Night with the Devil is one to die for. Think about talk shows ranging from hosts such as Larry King, David Letterman, Jimmy Carson, and Jay Leno. Then imagine those shows and throw in The Exorcist. That describes the experience that audiences will get with Late Night with the Devil.

The film is set in 1977. The audience is introduced to a talk show host, Jack Delroy (played by David Dastmalchian). Jack has had many years of success followed by many years filled with tragedies. However, in his next talk show segment, he plans to make it his best one yet to help boost his popularity. His difficult upbringing does not serve him well for this segment which features guests ranging from June Ross-Mitchell (played by Laura Gordon), Carmichael Hunt (played by Ian Bliss), Christou (played by Fayssai Bazzi), and Lilly D’Abo (played by Ingrid Torelli). The concept of the show is to talk about demons, spirits, and reality. The setup may seem focused on entertaining shocks and awes, but as the show progresses, the nightmare for Jack and his guests evolves rapidly. Some feel like they are possessed, some feel like they are zombies, and some feel they must say, “The power of Christ compels you,” just for survival. Jack must figure out the backstory behind such demonic moments impacting his show. If he does not, it may be too late. During the film, the cinematography goes black when they go on station breaks. I liked this part of the film’s creative process, because it felt like color was a signal to get scared, and black and white meant the audience could take a break from being scared.

The karma surrounding Late Night with the Devil is where the haunts were most effective. It is a film where the scares will make viewers laugh, gasp, and think about what other surprises are next. Dastmalchian is brilliant as the lead and must not panic or break character. His performance is harrowing and his character is realistic and spellbinding. The film provides anexperience where the terrors have power which continue to grow. The talk show is doomed, the audience is scared, and the reality TV setting means all bets are off.

This is one of the best horror films I have seen this year because of an interesting premise and a set of clever surprises. It has anartistic side that is highlighted by a surreal galore of terror. There is no hiding from the unexpected in Late Night with the Devil. Three out of four stars.