NIGHTFALL – a funky indie sci-fi thriller!
NIGHTFALL is the debut release by Florida film company Tempest Entertainment. Both written and directed by Michael Clinkenbeard, a Paramount alumni, Nightfall is a found footage flick with a funky independent edge to it. The ensemble cast…or were they really just friends being filmed for reactions to real events (??) …handles a storyline about an attack on the Earth that is reminiscent of War of the Worlds. Just don’t expect anything on that level, which isn’t necessarily a criticism. Nightfall is a solid independent debut overall.
Yet, somehow, this low-budget goes in a completely different direction, focusing on the tensions between the characters as they and they world break down. Eschewing excessive special effects, the film draws you in as the innocent Memorial Day party they attend is suddenly disrupted by something all too familiar on the television. They all watch horrified, transfixed, as the SECOND incoming craft hits. My own experience with 9-1-1 was so similar to this, that, be it aliens or terrorists, the sight was all too real.
The camerwork is all too real in the film, and you really do question whether you are watching a piece of entertainment or an actual friend documenting his pals with his new camera, only to unfortunately get to film something a lot more scary than their jokes at each others’ expense. The alcohol drinking in the film provides some subtle humor as their tensions mount. With no musical soundtrack, Nightfall really attempted something bigger than the average indie here – utilizing the story and characters to pull you in.
Things begin to happen very quickly very soon in the film, and the earthquake that happens in Florida, filmed by the terrified participants who left the camera running as the house falls in upon them, is magnificent. Kudos to Amanda Japp for a wide-ranging performance and William Merklinger for turning from a loud-mouthed guest into a real hero. Shawn Jesseman as an Army reservist provides both intensity and insults, while the character experts Jonathan Hilliard and J.J. Curtis propel the film along with camaraderie and bravado. Mark Priest’s turn as a crazed Civil war proponent brings unexpected laughs at a critical point in the movie. Special effects, though minimal, are expertly handled by Brad Sloan.
By: Reg O’Brien
