*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You’re working the late shift…”

Last Straw released on Demand on September 20th 2024. The horror thriller film stars Jessica Belkin, Taylor Kowalski, Joji Valley Otani, and Jeremy Sisto. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty minutes.

Nancy is working the late shift by herself at her dad’s diner when a group of masked assailants show up and begin to terrorize her.

Here is the trailer:

Last Straw is similar to films like Open 24 Hours and Hunt Her, Kill Her, but it attempts to put a spin on the home invasion genre with its twist. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The music and the setting worked.

I kind of really dug the music. At first, it felt a little distracting, but then I thought it started to compliment the vibe of this film really well. I loved the setting as well. I love thrillers that are mostly set in one place, really making you think about the character’s surroundings and how they can use them to their advantage.

Jessica Belkin was good as Nancy. I wasn’t sure how I felt about her at first, but as the movie continued, I was rooting for her more and more. She had some bad-ass and brutal moments worth noting and was very creative in some of her survival tactics, which is something I always love to see.

Throws a twist our way.

I like that this film tried to give us a different spin on the home invasion genre. I’m still not sure if the twist landed enough for me, but I do appreciate the effort. I usually prefer straightforward thrillers within this genre. Sometimes less is more, but I think this film went for it and tried to do something a little different to stand out, which is worth noting.

The Cons:

Over-complicates things…

I really wanted to love this movie, but it did go off the rails once the twist was introduced. It wasn’t bad by any means, but I think it wasted too much time on character back stories and explanation. I didn’t need to see things from all angles. I just needed to see this film through from beginning to end. The opening twenty minutes were super slow as well.

When I think back on it, there were only about thirty worthy minutes of this film. They were solid enough, but there was a lot of fluff to sift through, which was frustrating.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Last Straw over-complicates things with its twist, but it does have a few brutal moments worth sticking around for.

I just wanted something more here, but it was decent enough for a quick movie of the week.

If you like this genre, I’d recommend watching Alone (2020), Open 24 Hours, and Hunt Her, Kill Her first.

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Last Straw in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

After working the night shift, Ashley becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a local street gang, forcing her to come up with a plan to survive the night by turning the tables on them.

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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