The horror film from 2024 that is secretly the best film of the year

Important takeaways

• Late Night with the Devil, a horror movie released in 2024, can be considered the best of the year.
• The film stands out thanks to David Dastmalchian's performance and a captivating, unpredictable plot.
• The film remains underrated, despite receiving positive reviews and top ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.

2024 has been a memorable year when it comes to that horror films. Fans of the genre have been treated to the likes of Alien: Romulus, The subject, Horror 3, A Quiet Place: Day Oneand Smile 2to name just a few. However, there is one scary movie released this year that is better than the rest and may actually be one of the best movies of 2024. That movie is Late night with the devil.

First, it must be stated that the film was technically released in 2023, having premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in the US on March 10, 2023. However, it ended up not getting a wider release until 2024. Late night with the devil was released in UK and US cinemas on 22 March 2024. This means it should be considered a 2024 film, not a 2023 film.

What is Late Night With The Devil about?

The film stars the wickedly talented David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy, a late-night talk show host whose show has experienced a rapid decline in ratings. Jack decides to do something drastic to boost his show's ratings on a very spooky Halloween night, and it all ends up going horribly wrong—for him and for everyone involved with the show.

It's a pretty vague account of what happens in the movie. However, it's best not to spoil anything for those who haven't had the chance to see the film yet. There are some twists and turns that viewers may not see coming, and some terrifying scares along the way. However, there are two key factors that make this film so good.

What makes Late Night With the Devil so good?

Dastmalchian's performance is outstanding. He's able to make the viewer root for him even though he's obviously embarking on a dangerous journey, and he's putting a lot of innocent people in danger. His actions are incredibly selfish, but Dastmalchian still makes the character likable.

Other, Late night with the devil has a barnstorming finish, which is one of the best final thirds of any film released in 2024. It goes to some wild places at the end, but the slow build-up makes its over-the-top ending feel justified. It's a testament to everyone involved in making this picture, from the writers/directors (Cameron and Colin Cairnes) to the actors.

The film also perfectly captures the look and feel of the late seventies. The costumes are fantastic, and it all adds to the sense of foreboding and doom that is ever-present Late night with the devil. That feeling stays with the viewer long after the film is over.

Late Night With the Devil is the best horror movie of 2024

Although, as mentioned above, 2024 has been a particularly good year for horror, no other film in the genre could do what Late night with the devil did. The film is both terrifying and fascinating. The way it's shot also contributes to that, alternating between behind-the-scenes footage and footage from the actual evening talk show.

Every time the show takes a commercial break, the film shows viewers what's going on behind the scenes. In these moments, the viewer really understands what's at stake, what Jack Delroy is up to and how much danger he's putting everyone in to boost his ratings.

Why is no one talking about this movie?

This is a very good question, but it is also a bit misguided. People have been talking about the film. It has received good reviews from critics, and those who have seen the film have been very positive towards it.

The film has a rather impressive overall rating of 7/10 on IMDb after over 100,000 reviews. Late night with the devil has a whopping 97% in grades rotten tomatoes, which also places it at number one on their “50 Best New Horror Movies of 2024” list. It ended up hitting the likes of The subject, Horror 3, Oddity, In Flames, Smile 2, Goofyand I watched TV Glow.

All of these horror films were incredibly well received, and yet, Late night with the devil — a small independent film with a relatively small budget — came out on top. That speaks for itself, and it also suggests that since 2024 was such a strong horror year, it could be one of the very best released this calendar year. It deserves to be seen by more people, and hopefully it will be.

Late night with the devil is available to stream on Shudder and can be purchased on VOD.