Last Night at Terrace Lanes
Directed by Jamie Nash
Written by Adam Cesare & Jenna St. John
Starring Ken Arnold, Francesca Capaldi, Mia Rae Roberts
Unrated
Runtime 75 minutes
Available on Apple TV, Prime Video, Youtube and Google Play.

by Tori Potenza, Staff Writer

I can’t even remember the last time I saw a proper run-of-the-mill bowling alley. Nowadays, they seem to be these gentrified adult play areas with expensive rentals, food, and cocktails. It seems that the days of bowling birthday parties with cheap hot dogs are a thing of the past. Which is why it was so nice to see a movie set in just that sort of setting, bringing back that childhood nostalgia and being reminded of how much things have changed. Of course that is just one piece of Last Night at Terrace Lanes, a film that uses its setting to great effect for a home invasion-esque horror ride with thrills, kills, and plenty of bowling alley vibes for its main set of characters.

Last Night at Terrace Lanes has the ‘80s aesthetics and vibes of films like Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama and some of the vague cosmic horror vibes of newer films like The Void. On the closing night of Terrace Lanes, its patrons and staff are set upon by a group of cultists who have a singular mission of killing everyone there in order to complete their ritual. Amongst those in attendance are Kennedy (Francesca Capaldi) hoping to impress her crush Tessa (Mia Rae Roberts) as well as her maintenance man dad Bruce (Ken Arnold) and an ensemble cast of characters who mostly act as amusing victims for our cultists. As the night goes on, the bloodshed increases and the survivors must mind a way to get out alive.

If you are looking for a fun, easy to watch ode to ‘80s nostalgia with some decent kills and bloodshed, this is a serviceable watch. It suffers from a similar issue that these kinds of invasion films typically do where they dwindle down their cast to a few main folks, and we spend the second half watching them hide and sneak around to stay alive. This pacing gives the film a little bit of a lull midway through, but its tight 75 minute runtime helps to make sure you aren’t stuck in that realm for too long. It is clearly running on a smaller budget, but it would have been nice to get a little more details on the cultists–or to double down on some of the cosmic horror vibes it sets up–but overall does a great job with what the filmmakers are working with.

They do succeed with their characters. Even the smaller, no-name patrons get some moments to show off their distinct personalities. Interesting character work is something this genre of film doesn't always spend much time on, but I appreciated watching characters have their moments to shine: the woman trying to find a hot date or the tough-as-nails owner of the bowling alley. The father/daughter drama at the film’s core is genuinely moving, and the duo are fun to spend time with. Bruce does a great job of being the loveable down-on-his-luck dad trying to connect with his distant but outgoing and smart daughter. Kennedy makes for a great final girl who is tough, smart, and resourceful even in the most dire situations. It is always a treat to see a new heroic final girl enter the genre.

There are great dialogue and one liners, and the creative team does a good job of setting up the stage and players before chaos enters the building. There are plenty of fun weapons to be had in a bowling alley, and they make sure to explore that as much as they can. For what the film lacks, it more than makes up for it with a fun set up, good writing, and camerawork. And, of course, it never hurts to lay on some of the ‘80s synth and neon aesthetics so many horror fans love. So, if you are looking for a lean, mean horror film that is an ode to some of our favorite cult classics, Last Night at Terrace Lanes is certainly worth your time.