There’s something special about watching a horror movie in a theater. The darkness creates a sense of anonymity. The rows of people focused on the screen make it the perfect setting for scares while danger lurks nearby. Maximiliano Contenti’s The Last Matinee embraces this with real affection. It creates a modest but effective slasher. The film feels more like a tribute to the VHS-era than a reinvention of the genre.

The movie takes place almost entirely in an old cinema during a quiet afternoon showing. A handful of strangers, each keeping to themselves, settle in to watch a cheesy horror film. Meanwhile, a masked killer starts turning the theatre into his own private hunting ground.

Luciana Grasso leads the film as Ana, the young usher in charge during this unlucky matinee. Grasso brings a down-to-earth quality to the role, which is a nice change for a slasher heroine. She’s observant, careful, and believable enough to keep the movie from becoming too over-the-top. Her performance gives the story an emotional core in a film that’s otherwise focused on suspense and creative gore.

Stylistically, The Last Matinee feels like a love letter to 1980s slasher cinema, particularly the kind that lived on battered tapes and late-night cable. Contenti understands the appeal of that era: the slow prowling camera movements, the patience in building tension, and the almost playful commitment to practical gore. When the violence arrives, it’s satisfyingly physical, with blood splatters, limbs crunching, and the camera lingers just long enough to make the audience squirm.

Some viewers will notice the film’s clever twist. In the movie, the people are watching a horror film. At the same time, they’re actually living through one. Original no!, but entertaining all the same. The theatre turns into a place where fiction and reality mix. The flickering light from the screen shines on the victims as the killer moves through the aisles, making what should be a safe movie experience feel much more real and threatening.

Still, The Last Matinee has its flaws. The story mostly follows the usual slasher rules, so most characters besides Ana are just basic types instead of people you really care about. Their main job is to wander into dark corners and get killed in creative ways.

Ricardo Islas and Franco Durán do a solid job in their roles. Still, their characters are mostly there to move the plot along. They do not show much emotion. That’s not really a problem. Many slasher movies work this way. Nevertheless, it means the film never quite explores the deeper psychological themes it sometimes suggests.

The film’s biggest strength is its atmosphere. The old cinema really stands out, with its dusty hallways, flickering projectors, and empty seats fading into darkness. Contenti knows that horror works best in places where people usually feel safe. Here, the movie theatre becomes a claustrophobic trap.

By the end, The Last Matinee gives you exactly what it promises. It delivers a neat, bloody slasher. The film respects its roots without trying to be something it’s not. The movie you’d find during a late-night horror marathon: familiar, rough around the edges, and sometimes delightfully nasty. It might not stick with you after the credits. While it’s on, it’s a fun way to spend some time in the dark.

IMDB