'Night Terror' Review: A Simplistic Yet Stylish Dive into Folk Horror
- Becca Johnson
- Jul 14
- 4 min read
By Becca Johnson - July 14, 2025
Releasing on digital platforms on July 14th, Night Terror, otherwise known as Eye for An Eye in the US and other regions, is directed by well renowned music video director Colin Tilley. The movie also stars Whitney Peak (Hocus Pocus 2) in the leading role, who many are excited to see bring the character of Lenore dove to life next year, after her book debut in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping earlier this year.
What is 'Night Terror' about?
Peak plays Anna, who is grieving the death of her parents as she moves from New York to Florida to stay with her grandmother that she’s never met. In need of friends, she finds brief solace in the company of two local teens, until she becomes complicit in their unforgivable acts of violence. This unearths a local curse that means Anna must right her wrongs before becoming a victim to it.
Well directed and perfectly acted by all cast members, Night Terror may feel slow in places but is moved forward by its simplistic, strong storyline.
We live in an age where horror tries to be many different things in order to stand out from the rest, as the genre is more popular and heavily saturated than ever. What Night Terror does to stand out is take things back to basics - and it works. Feeling old-school in the best way possible, Night Terror boasts a folk-like, local legend storyline that feels reminiscent of old small town classics that we know and love. It has a very strong concept, as our main character Anna finds herself ensnared by Mr. Sandman - a twisted soul of a tormented child who haunts bullies dreams before feasting on their eyeballs when they finally wake. Victims are sought after by Mr. Sandman after their names are etched into a tree hidden within the forest, a local legend that has laid dormant for quite some time.
Horror has always been a vessel for social commentary alongside its scares, and the message here is simple - bullying is bad, being a good person keeps your conscious clean and most importantly of all, your despicable actions usually catch up with you. The idea and premise is simple and easily digestible, yet the fairtytale-esque vibe along with the harrowing nightmare sequences give it edge. It’s not quite A Nightmare on Elm Street, but it definitely carries traits of the classics strongest ideas.
Fleshing out the simple yet effective storyline even further are the performances, which are impressive across the board. Leading the pack is Whitney Peak, who is truly excellent. This is a more mature role for her and she crushes it, ensuring Anna is equal parts strong enough to face what’s coming, yet naïve enough to get wrapped up in a dangerous game. If her performance here is anything to go by, her rendition of Lenore Dove in next years The Hunger Games instalment is worth getting excited for. Playing the local teen bully Shawn is Finn Bennett (Warfare), who is as despicable and believable as they come. It’s a testament to Bennett who much we wind up hating this character the further the run-time progresses - he aces it.
Perhaps the two most intriguing performances are delivered by S. Epatha Merkerson (Jacob’s Ladder) as Anna’s grandmother May, and Golda Rosheuvel (Bridgerton) as May’s sister, Patti. May fell victim to this curse back in the day, which has not only left her sightless but with a difficult relationship with Patti. The pairs uneasy rift could’ve done with some further exploration, but both actresses are excellent at delivering the material given, ensuring to give their interesting dynamic their all.
The scariest elements of Night Terror are the fantastic nightmare sequences our characters receive after committing the horrible act in question. Fantastical, eerie and full of spooky visuals that send a shiver down your spine, it’s a shame we don’t have more of them as they’re so effective. They are easily the best bit, and compliment the simplicity within the plot so well, so it’s easy to surmise that more attention should’ve been paid to this aspect. Due to budget limitations, there are some weaknesses in the visuals that reduce the scare factor from time to time, especially surrounding our main villain, but the fear around his existence definitely ensures the audience remain on their toes.
There’s also some body horror that is bound to impress gore hounds, and an overall uneasy tone that ensures effective tension building and a consistent feeling of fear. The script leaves much to be desired on occasion, especially due to its lack of exploration around May and Patti’s relationship and some of the lacklustre dialogue. Playing out at just 97 minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome, but does teeter on the edge of dull as it falls victim to underwhelming conversations and a slow pace. However, the cast, horror and concept don’t let it falter for long.
Night Terror is a good example of a simplistic idea with a digestible message, that features a fan favourite sub-genre in its local legend, folk-like approach. The performances are strong, the visual style keeps things interesting and the horror aspects are effective, despite being few and far between. More nightmare sequences and exploration within the writing would’ve given Night Terror a boost, but what we receive is engaging and commendable nonetheless. Director Colin Tilley clearly has flair, and it’ll be interesting to see what he delivers next.
'Night Terror' is out now on digital platforms
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