The DJ of a late night radio show turns up for her slot after being bitten in the neck by a flying creature in the middle of a hurricane, only to find herself in competition with a younger woman.
Unusual movie that tries several things at once, with the risk of confusing its audience. I like that it comes in late, not bothering with an establishing scene that would ordinarily show the character driving through the storm and encountering a special effects bat.
The overarching theme is of workplace pressures, with elements of ruthless competitiveness, bullying authority, fake loyalty, vacuous career fulfillment, sexual favours and intimidation, the old giving way to the new. The most interesting shape of the story is the shadow or double: the intern preparing to replace the heroine, the heroine talking to her younger self on the phone, the rotation of the supporting actors in the witty repetition of the opening scenes.
But the writing and direction aren't quite up to the task, relying too much on dialogue rather than movement and plot to lay out the meaning of a story that is by turns trippy and psychological. In the end, we're given an objective view of the aftermath, except we're still inside the trip. Or are we? As I said - confusing. And the thing is, I'm not convinced this is a horror: even though the vampire genre is used, it never seems necessary to the story.
The performances are fine, the standout being the supporting actress who delivers a good comic turn as a drunken middle-aged man. And the humour throughout what is, at heart, a serious movie is superior to most efforts in the wheezing sub-genre of comedy horror. Cinematography is OK in a tight location with low lighting, and the effects are splatterlicious, with an unusual snack that I first saw used in It Stains The Sands Red. The music suits the mood, and the pace was good.
Overall: Interesting, but muddled.
