All Light Will End Review, Starring Ashley Pereira

The first thing All Light Will End reminded me of was a poor man’s Incident in a Ghostland. The stories are wildly different, of course, Ghostland being more intricate in execution, but there’s a shared energy: an author with a twisted past, a house full of trauma, and the creeping feeling that reality might not be what it seems.

Dreams, Death, and What Lurks in the Dark

In this case, we follow Savannah (Ashley Pereira), a successful young horror author returning to her childhood home. She’s haunted by night terrors that may be more than just dreams. The plot dabbles in the surreal and the psychological, teasing out whether the horror is real, imagined, or maybe both. Honestly, the idea of a horror writer being tormented by her own mind is a solid hook.

Why Are Horror Characters Still Doing This?

All Light Will End is a horror-thriller chock-full of coincidences and characters who make baffling decisions. As someone who watches a ton of horror, I’m always torn between enjoying the trope and yelling at the screen. Seriously, who thinks a trip back to the scene of their childhood trauma is a good weekend getaway plan? Apparently Savannah’s boyfriend does. Therapy clearly wasn’t his suggestion.

And speaking of therapy, the film uses Savannah’s sessions as narrative breadcrumbs. These scenes are where the movie shines. Her quiet reflections, guided by flashbacks and that ominous novel she’s famous for, slowly peel back layers of her mind. It’s where the movie earns some real psychological weight, even if it occasionally slips into melodrama.

The pacing is deliberate, but not boring. It’s more about simmering than sprinting. Little details emerge like drips from a leaky faucet: not enough to flood the room, but enough to keep you looking for where it’s coming from.

Cast Chemistry, or Lack Thereof

Savannah and her boyfriend (played by Sam Jones III) have… let’s call it neutral energy. He calls her “babe” with the flat delivery of a GPS, and their dynamic reads more like siblings forced to share a tent than a couple on a healing retreat.

Luckily, there are better performances here. I Spit on Your Grave’s Sarah Butler plays Savannah’s mom, and honestly, she’s excellent. Her scenes carry the emotional core that the rest of the movie sometimes fumbles. Andy Buckley also shows up as Savannah’s dad, the police chief, and does fine work, grounding his scenes with weary authority.

Then there are the cops. Bless them. They’re the indie-film version of stormtroopers: endlessly ineffective, occasionally hilarious, and committed to being unhelpful. Their handling of witnesses is so off-the-rails it feels intentional. It’s one of the places the film leans into its indie vibe and somehow makes it work.

Blood on the Lens and Other Indie Tricks

The cinematography is surprisingly good. There are some sharp transitions, eerie lighting setups, and one moment that actually made me pause and rewind: blood hitting the lens, breaking the fourth wall. It’s either genius or gimmick, but I was into it. It gives the whole thing a voyeuristic edge, like we’re not just watching Savannah’s unraveling, we’re part of it.

Despite the low budget, All Light Will End hides its limitations well. Shot in Nashville, Tennessee, it leans into moody landscapes and quiet dread. You wouldn’t immediately clock this as a microbudget film unless you were looking for seams.

When the Plot Starts to Buckle in All Light Will End

Here’s where it wobbles: fugue states, mom’s suicide, creepy woods, night terrors, it’s a lot. Not in a “too much horror” way, but in a “did anyone proofread this outline?” kind of way. At some point, I started asking: do her friends actually know her? Because dragging your severely haunted author girlfriend to her trauma site isn’t exactly date night material.

The subplot involving the murders her dad is investigating runs parallel to Savannah’s downward spiral, and while it aims for clever crossover, the timing doesn’t always land. Still, there’s something to be said for a story that keeps you guessing. I genuinely wasn’t sure if monsters were real or if it was all in her head, and that’s a win.

When the hammer finally drops, it feels a bit rushed. But it does land. I hung in for the twist and wasn’t disappointed. Would I have liked it fleshed out more? Sure. But it works. And for a film like this, that’s half the battle.

If you enjoy films where the monster could be real or imagined? Mother of Movies recommends: Lisa Frankenstein | Shadows | The Twin or Luz next.

Verdict

All Light Will End isn’t a revolutionary indie horror, but it’s a confident and thoughtful debut from Chris Blake. It’s got atmosphere, solid performances, and the kind of murky dream-logic that sticks with you. Yeah, it’s messy. Yeah, it has issues. But it also has intention, and that matters.

3 faced fears out of 5

🎥 Film Details

• Directed by: Chris Blake
• Written by: Chris Blake & Jason Hill
• Distributed by: Gravitas Ventures
• Runtime: 85 minutes
• Released: November 6, 2018 (Blu-ray/DVD)
• Starring: Ashley Pereira, Sarah Butler, Sam Jones III, Andy Buckley, John Schuck
• Genre: Indie Horror | Thriller | Psychological Mystery

📌 Notable / All Light Will End Worthy Info

• Part of the Gravitas Ventures indie horror catalog, John Schuck
• Premiered at HorrorHound Film Festival (2018); also screened at Toronto International Spring of Horror and Tupelo Film Festival.
• Awards: Best Original Screenplay (Toronto Spring of Horror), Best Feature Film (Tupelo Film Fest).
• Shot in Nashville, Tennessee, for indie/region-based horror fans.
• A strong indie debut for writer/director Chris Blake.

All Light Will End

Director: Chris Blake

Date Created: 2018-11-06 14:39

Editor's Rating:
3