Black as Night Parent Guide
Too cutesie for teens and far too violent for tweens, this movie's tonal problems eliminate any potential audience.
Parent Movie Review
Adolescence is a tough slog for everyone, but it’s even worse for Shawna (Asjha Cooper). Her parents have separated because her mother, Denise (Kenneisha Thompson) has been battling addiction following the loss of their home during Hurricane Katrina. When Shawna goes to visit her awful apartment in the disreputable Ombreux housing projects she notices stranger people than usual loitering around the shadows – one of whom bites her later that night. Convinced that her mother’s housing project has a vampire problem, Shawna sets out to tackle the infestation of the bloodsucking undead. With the help of her best friend Pedro (Fabrizio Guido), her crush Chris (Mason Beauchamp), and the weird vampire-obsessed white girl from across town, Granya (Abbie Gayle), Shawna’s going to save New Orleans or get eaten trying.
Black as Night has a horrendous tone problem. The character story is a canned high-school coming-of-age story where the shy girl has a crush on the cute jock and needs her gay best friend to help her sort it out. The other half of the story is about drug addiction, homelessness, and, you know, vampires. Some combinations work better than others, but for the most part this is like adding barbecue sauce to your ice cream. Since the first story is so familiar and juvenile, and the second story is…not, the movie has suckered itself right out of an audience.
Teens will find the character story boring and overly cutesie, and kids will find the vampire story entirely too scary and serious. Their parents are also unlikely to be crazy about content issues including immolation, defenestration, impalement, and chronic drug abuse. My personal breaking point is when our very teenaged hero dresses up as a prostitute to try and kill a vampire – kids are overly-sexualized as it is, thanks, and I’m not thrilled with that kind of overt costuming.
The good news is that this movie is, for all intents and purposes, the same as Vampires Vs. The Bronx, which has far fewer content issues and is much more broadly suitable for a younger audience. You know, for people who don’t want to hear about the summer Shawna “got breasts and fought vampires”. There are better options for teen Halloween entertainment.
Directed by Maritte Lee Go. Starring Keith David, Asjha Cooper, and Abbie Gayle.. Running time: 87 minutes. Theatrical release October 1, 2021. Updated February 24, 2022Watch the trailer for Black as Night
Black as Night
Rating & Content Info
Why is Black as Night rated Not Rated? Black as Night is rated Not Rated by the MPAA
Violence: Individuals are messily devoured by vampires. Several vampires are killed with stakes, burned with garlic or sunlight, and in one instance, tortured with silver. One vampire catches fire and jumps out a window.
Sexual Content: There are several comments made about a female character’s body. Two teenaged girls dress up as prostitutes.
Profanity: There are four sexual expletives, 13 scatological curses, and frequent uses of mild profanities and terms of deity.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Adult characters are seen under the influence of narcotics and are shown suffering from extreme drug addiction.
Page last updated February 24, 2022
Black as Night Parents' Guide
What are the problems in New Orleans that Babineaux is trying to address? How are people trying to fix those problems in the real world?
Home Video
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This film is remarkably similar to Vampires Vs. The Bronx. Other teen-marketed horror options include Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Fear Street (1994, 1978,and1666), Freaky, Spontaneous, Happy Death Day, Happy Death Day 2 U, and The New Mutants. For an adult offering talking about gentrification, race, and civic history, try Candyman.