The Midnight Horror: 'Killers Within' (2018)

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I’m still reeling from the hot mess that is Killers Within. Picture this: an Irish horror film that’s less horror and more crime drama for a good hour before it decides to throw in some snake vampires that feel like a bad homage to From Dusk Till Dawn. Honestly, I’m left asking myself—why on Earth did I actually buy this DVD? The cover art is an eyesore, and the back description is a dazzling display of nothingness. But, in a moment of self-inflicted pain, I needed something to fill my midnight horror slot and thought, “Why not torture myself a little more?”

Written and directed by the duo of Paul Bushe and Brian O’Neill, the film stars a cast of actors likely basking in the glow of fame back in Ireland, but I can’t be bothered to remember their names. The plot kicks off with police officer Amanda Doyle, whose son is being held hostage by a ruthless gang. In a desperate attempt to save her child, she teams up with her ex-husband and a few allies to kidnap a wealthy banker and his unsuspecting family for ransom. But this isn't just any ordinary family—no, as the tale unfolds, it twists intriguingly enough to show that the tables have turned: the hunters have become the hunted. It’s a harrowing fight for survival in which it truly becomes kill or be killed.

On paper, the premise isn’t half bad, but the execution is a different story altogether. The acting ranges from barely passable to the cringe-worthy; I suspect the lackluster dialogue played a hefty role in that. The tone feels like it’s taking a joyride down a bumpy road: one minute it’s a tense drama, the next it’s a crime thriller, then it tosses in a snake vampire cult out of left field. It seems the filmmakers blended three half-baked ideas into a single cinematic stew, resulting in a dish that would hardly satisfy even the hungriest of horror aficionados. Why, oh why, does a film need two directors? I could see the logic behind multiple voices if we were dealing with an anthology, but alas, that’s not the case here. Instead, this dual-direction chaos leads to an unbalanced script and a pacing that feels like it’s limping along.

In the end, Killers Within isn’t a total disaster; I’ve undoubtedly subjected myself to worse. But let’s be real—it’s not good either. It’s just another low-budget, forgettable horror flick that fades from memory faster than the credits can roll. So, if you're feeling brave enough to watch this cinematic quagmire, just remember: sometimes it’s better to keep your midnight movie choices a little less torturous. ╌★½✰✰✰

〜B.J. Burgess