The infamous “they” say that horror is often at its most productive (and successful) during times of political unrest, and it sure does seem like we’ve been in a state of political unrest for a while now. How timely it is, then, that Ryan Prows‘ (Lowlife) Night Patrol has entered the ring. This cop-movie-meets-vampire-tale has its finger on the pulse of today’s social politics and boasts some strong performances, but a messy script and some pacing issues prevent it from achieving greatness.
Night Patrol gets off to a tense start, seeing Crip gang member Wazi (RJ Cyler, Scream: The Series) meet up with his girlfriend, a sister to one of Wazi’s rival gang members (Flying Lotus). Expectations that this will turn into a Romeo & Juliet-type story are quickly shattered by the arrival of Night Patrol, a nocturnal task force of police officers who are determined to clean the city’s streets. The leader (CM Punk) quickly instructs rookie inductee Hawkins (Justin Long) to shoot Wazi’s girlfriend in the head. He does so, but Wazi is able to escape.
The next day, we are reintroduced to Hawkins as he goes on patrol with his partner Carr (Jermaine Fowler, The Blackening), who just so happens to be Wazi’s brother. Jealousy sets in for Carr, who has wanted to join Night Patrol for a while now, but he doesn’t let it affect his and Hawkins’ friendship. Meanwhile, an on-the-run Wazi returns home to his mother (Nicki Micheaux, Lowlife), who uses her Zulu ancestor’s mystical practices to protect the local community from Night Patrol as a war looms in the distance.
Night Patrol holds the vampiric nature of its titular task force close to his chest for most of the film’s runtime, with the official confirmation taking place well into the second act. This makes it all the more puzzling that the marketing is leaning so heavily into the vampirism of it all, with a poster showcasing a fanged skull and an admittedly clever tagline in “Defang the police.” Those expecting a full blown vampire movie may walk away disappointed, though, as Night Patrol is a cop movie first and a vampire movie second. Comparisons to this year’s Sinners will be inevitable, though that film merged its disparate genres a bit more effectively.
The script is credited to four screenwriters (Prows, Tim Cairo, Jake Gibson, and Shaye Ogbonna), a fact that becomes more evident as the film goes on. There are so many characters that pacing starts to drag as the film postpones the brewing war for as long as it possibly can. Narrative threads unravel, especially in the third act, with some of Prows & Co.’s themes becoming muddled as war breaks out on the streets. Symbolism is often heavy-handed, such as a large tank filled with the community’s blood serving as the life source for Night Patrol (cops feed on the deaths of poverty stricken communities, etc.), giving Night Patrol a pointed message, but not much else to say. It’s more of a twisted depiction than an actual interrogation of ethnic cleansing tactics.
Night Patrol serves as a showcase for Justin Long’s dramatic chops. A longtime comedic actor, his Hawkins quickly becomes the soul of the piece as he must grapple with his friendship with Carr and the increasingly brutal physical transformation that comes with being a member of Night Patrol. Flying Lotus excels as the film’s comic relief, and that comedy thankfully never threatens to sabotage the established stakes, with Lotus emerging as one of the film’s bigger surprises with his limited screen time. The rest of the ensemble all deliver strong performances, but these two are the standouts.
Prows doesn’t hesitate when it comes to depicting violence, either. Night Patrol is brutal, rightfully so, with the main cast third act bloodbath taking characters out left and right. Jaw trauma was a recurring trend in films at this year’s Fantastic Fest, a trend that continued with Night Patrol.
Night Patrol may not fully flesh out its themes by the time the credits roll, but a committed cast and a few standout performances, not to mention the technical prowess on display from Prows, allow the film to rise above its flaws.
Night Patrol made its world premiere at Fantastic Fest and releases in theaters on January 16, 2026.
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