Writer: John Espoito (Screenplay) Stephen King (Short Story)
Starring: David Andrews, Kelly Wolf, Stephen Macht, Andrew Divoff, Vic Polizos, Brad Dourif, Robert Alan Beuth
Plot: In a very old textile mill, with a serious rat infestation, the workers discover a horrifying secret deep in the basement.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Creature Feature
Story: Graveyard Shift starts inside an old textiles mill that is getting over ran by rats but there is something else inside the shadows something a lot deadlier to pick off the first victim. The mill brings in the Exterminator (Dourif) to clean out the mill. John Hall (Andrews) a drifter comes to town looking for work which falls perfectly into Warwick’s (Macht) hands as he needs someone to clean up the mill.
John gets the job on the graveyard shift where he works along with the Exterminator. With a new group of employees this just gives fresh meat to the creature living in the basement. The clean up job is going on and the creature only attacks when people are alone making the safety in numbers idea mean that much more.
Graveyard Shift is a true creature feature, it has all the ideas of a town being terrorized by an unknown creature. We have all the elements needed without getting confusing and most importantly we are left to guess what the creature will be. I will say the characters a re very generic for the style of film but that just helps us know who will end up making it to the end. It doesn’t offer to much to the genre but still makes everything simple to follow. (7/10)
Actor Review
David Andrews: John Hall is a drifter who has come to this small town to for work and he gets the role in the graveyard shift. He isn’t welcomed into the town as the locals know he is just a drifter but he is hard working and ends up battling the creature in the basement. David makes for the standard lead never looking like he will carry the film but will the hero of the story. (6/10)
Kelly Wolf: Jane Wisconsky is the young lady who works on in the mill to make ends meet, she is being punished by Warwick for not folding to his ways but she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty when it comes to work. Kelly does a good job in the role without really excelling. (6/10)
Stephen Macht: Warwick is the seedy boss of the mill who makes people do whatever he wants thinking he can get away with anything. Who hires anyone who wants a job before making them do all the jobs no one wants to do. Stephen does a good job making a truly unlikeable character. (7/10)
Brad Dourif: The Exterminator who enjoys killing the rats more than he should, he has been doing it for too long which makes he feel like he know show to handle all of them but he will face the ultimate enemy here. Brad adds his own style to the character and one you would expect to see from him. (7/10)
Support Cast: Graveyard Shift has the generic supporting cast that all become the disposable characters in the end.
Director Review: Ralph S Singleton – Ralph brings us a great little creature feature here. (7/10)
Horror: Graveyard Shift ticks every single box in the creature feature horror box. (8/10)
Settings: Graveyard Shift uses a small town and the mill for the most part, the mills makes for a great setting because it creatures the extra scares needed. (9/10)
Special Effects: Graveyard Shift uses great practical effects to create the creature that is made to be extra scary with its appearance. (9/10)
Suggestion: Graveyard Shift this is one for the old school creature feature fans. (Creature Feature Fans)
Best Part: Final scene feel so terrifying.
Worst Part: Basic supporting characters.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $11.5 Million
Budget: $10 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 29 Minutes
Tagline: Stephen King took you to the edge with The Shining and Pet Sematary. This time……he pushes you over.
Overall: Blood soaked creature feature
Rating