NIGHT OF THE REAPER on Shudder is a new horror slasher with a retro vibe, a battle for survival, and even a delicious revenge plot. In other words, this one is a true slasher gem. Read our full Night of the Reaper movie review here!
NIGHT OF THE REAPER is a new Shudder horror movie made in the classic slasher vein. Even the title almost gives as much away. Fortunately, the content of the movie also lives up to the title.
Before I get any further, I want to highlight that it has already won the Popcorn Frights Film Festival 2025 “Scariest Feature Film” award. Also, this is a Shudder Original. They know horror fans, so expect plenty of fan service… done right.
Continue reading our Night of the Reaper movie review below. Find it on Shudder from September 19, 2025.
The Golden Age of Slasher
To get the slasher vibe just right, Night of the Reaper is set in a 1980s suburb. You know the kind: Everyone knows their neighbor and the sheriff, and a girl home from college is taking on a last-minute babysitting job.
However, the movie actually starts before this event as another murder sets things into motion. It results in everyone being a little more on edge, and with this being Halloween season, there are echoes of the iconic Halloween franchise.
In any case, Deena (Jessica Clement) is the college student who has returned home and is now spending her night babysitting the sheriff’s cute son. Before long, someone keeps calling the house, and something goes bump in the night.
Oh yes, the iconic horror movie When a Stranger Calls (1979) is another good reference for this Shudder Original.
A mystery of survival and revenge
I don’t want to do spoilers for Night of the Reaper in any way, so I won’t. However, I will say that you may guess a few twists and turns along the way. I know I did, and this Shudder slasher was still a fun watch.
The horror slasher plays out as a mystery, which begins when the local sheriff (Ryan Robbins) receives a cryptic package. This turns out to be just the first package of the night, which will turn into a sick form of scavenger hunt.
Ultimately, this is a deliciously retro-styled slasher, where a mystery unravels as survival and revenge merge. It’s a lot of fun and should please most genre fans!
Also, having Jessica Clement (amazing in season 2 of Gen V) in the lead as Deena is absolutely perfect. Also in Night of the Reaper are Max Christensen, Ben Cockell, Matty Finochio, Keegan Connor Tracy, and Summer H. Howell.
You’ll want to remember the name Summer H. Howell. She will be playing Carrie White in Mike Flanagan‘s upcoming Prime Video horror series. Yes, as in the one based on Stephen King‘s iconic horror novel Carrie.
Watch Night of the Reaper on Shudder now
The director of Night of the Reaper is horror director Brandon Christensen. Full disclosure: I have yet to watch anything by Brandon Christensen (Superhost, Still/Born) that I didn’t at least enjoy to some degree.
Actually, sorry, that’s selling this horror director short. I am always happy to watch and review movies made by him. They are always made with a passion for the genre and an honest desire to make entertaining horror movies.
For this movie, Brandon Christensen also co-wrote the screenplay with Ryan Christensen (Shudder Original The Puppetman). The runtime is 93 minutes, which works perfectly for a retro-styled slasher movie. Enjoy!
Night of the Reaper is out on Shudder from September 19, 2025.
Details
Director: Brandon Christensen
Written by: Brandon Christensen and Ryan Christensen
Cast: Jessica Clement, Ryan Robbins, Summer H. Howell, Keegan Connor Tracy, Matty Finochio, Max Christensen, Ben Cockell, David Feehan
Plot
In the heart of a quiet, 1980s suburb, college student Deena returns home and reluctantly takes on a last-minute babysitting job. That same night, the local sheriff receives a cryptic package that pulls him into a sinister scavenger hunt that sets off a game of cat and mouse with a dangerous killer. As the clues unravel, Deena finds herself ensnared in a nightmarish mystery that she may not survive.
📺 Watch trailer
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