Last Night in Soho is a 2021 British psychological horror film directed by Edgar Wright and co-written by Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Carins. The film stars Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao, Terence Stamp and Diana Rigg. The film centres around Eloise an inspiring fashion designer who is able the 1960’s where she encounters a wannabe signer as the darkness of the past slowly reviles itself. Last Night in Soho is very hit and miss the film has truly beautiful visuals, a great soundtrack, and some interesting narrative elements. However, the film is ultimately bogged down by bad CGI, a been their done that feeling, stupid characters, a meh twist and ultimately a horror film that isn’t scary.
The direction and cinematography of the film is great. The film looks beautiful in some sequences with its use of neon lighting truly making it feel like a seventies Dario Argento throwback. A clear point of note is the dance sequence in the film with some very impressive camerawork and editing. Although the cinematography isn’t exactly perfect. The sweeping camera movements although visually impressive don’t fit within the tone of the film.
The acting is also a mixed bag. Whilst Tomasin McKenzie does a solid job as protagonist Eloise and Anya Taylor-Joy again does a solid job of sandie most of the acting is serviceable. However, Terence Stamp isn’t really all that great as Lindsey. Also, the bullies in the film such as Synnove Karlsen are just flat out bad and stereotypical.
The writing in the film is also very mixed. The way the film transports the character and the audience back to the sixties very well done with a lot of cool visuals make you feel like you are in the era. There are also themes to delve into within the film such is the objectivation of women and sexuality and the film has a solid first act with the charter being built up as a fashion student within a fish out of water scenario. However, ultimately feels like there’s not much meat on the bone. This is not helped by a weird tonal shift halfway through the film were all the ambiguity goes out the window. But possibly the worst thing about the writing is that the film is just not scary. The whole film ultimately feels very been there done that, as the plot is not bad but not amazing. The themes of prostitution and the objectification of women throughout the film are certainly interesting however they are portrayed in a very unsubtle way. However, the worst aspect of the writing is the twist. The whole film is built on a twist that is ultimately meh. Once that twist is revealed, it loses its original spirit and just becomes another horror film. Plus, when Lindsey gets hit by a car it reminded me of a scene for Final Destination just without the intentional humour.
Finally, there’s the special effects. Like everything else in the film it’s a mixed bag. There are some decent gore effects in the film with the stabbing scene being very effective. However, other accepts of the film just look flat out bad especially the CGI ghost zombies in the climax and the fire which doesn’t look dangerous in the slightest.
Overall Last Night in Soho was a mixed bag. Although there were genuinely good elements in the film and elements I enjoyed. However, there was too much wrong with the film for me to call it great resulting in an average mediocre horror film.
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