Film Review – This Is the Night

If you must see one movie this year with a dramatic arc and character redemptions tied completely to the 1982 release of “Rocky III,” well…this is probably your only option. “This Is the Night” is the latest offering from writer/director James DeMonaco, who’s been quite busy in recent years, creating and guiding “The Purge” and its four sequels, highlighting his interest in the crumbling of American society and the financial rewards a big screen franchise delivers. DeMonaco had a career before “The Purge,” but nobody pays much attention to that, and he wants one after the brand name is retired, with “This Is the Night” his attempt to branch out again and tell different stories about human beings, not just masked ghouls. Sticking with the low-budget route to creative control, DeMonaco offers a coming-of-age tale with semi-autobiographical touches, using the fever for all things Rocky Balboa to inspire a period dramedy about conquering fears in the middle of New York hostility. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com