BLACK AS NIGHT – Review

Ever since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and the woefully inadequate efforts to rebuild many residential areas, New Orleans has served as glaring example of income inequality, racism and government stasis. BLACK AS NIGHT is a darkly comic film that piles one more problem onto the shoulders of a blighted, mostly minority neighborhood – vampires who feed on junkies and the homeless. From the bloodsuckers’ point of view, it’s a way to fly (figuratively, if not literally) under the radar, since they’re feeding on those least likely to be missed by the authorities. Locals understandably feel otherwise, once they’re aware of the situation.

When a teenager (Asjha Cooper) happens to see a group feeding on one poor soul, she tries to intervene, getting bitten in the process. Fortunately a passing car causes the vamps to pull out – suckus interruptus – before she’s been drained enough to be killed or turned. She researches the creatures, recruiting a few allies for a more serious version of a Scooby Doo or Nancy Drew counterattack. Casualties occur in a moderately gory battle for the community and our species.

The script by Sherman Payne efficiently packages a nice mix of humor, suspense, action and social messaging. A couple of performances and scenes border on the campy (Keith David, consider yourself warned) but the author’s important points land without pontification or other forms of overkill. The trio of plucky protagonists discharge their acting duties as well as their slaying. Better, actually, since they’re forced to learn the essential techniques on the fields of battle, with inevitable missteps along the way. Dangerous setting for a long learning curve.

Cooper’s performance as actor and narrator is noteworthy, particularly for a relatively new face. As her initially-shy character grows in confidence and determination, she reminds me of another female vampire foe – a younger version of TRUE BLOOD’s Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley). The film comes from prolific low-budget horror source Blumhouse Productions, and rates as one of their better efforts among those I’ve seen. They know how to get the most value per dollar of investment.

BLACK AS NIGHT is available for streaming on Amazon Prime starting Oct. 1.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars