Fantastic Fest Review: Night Patrol

More and more often, I come across pieces of horror that hit at nerve. Not in the negative way, rather in a way that is deep and resonant. Growing up in the 80s, with the rise in ‘B-movies’ slashers into the zeitgeist – the genre felt like the furthest thing from thoughtful. As an adult and massive consumer of media, I’ve had time to learn about the deep connection the horror genre has to the relaying the prevalent fears of the times. A society afraid of marijuana use unraveling society is the breeding ground for a film like Reefer Madness. So what are the prevalent fears that create the environment for the subject of this film review, Night Patrol? Let’s get into it. A top-tier pick for me at Fantastic Fest, Night Patrol features a multicultural take on vampire and hunter lore never before executed. Night Patrol’s big idea is that the LAPD have an elite gang buster task force that only patrol at night and have license to use lethal force. They’re all stocky white dudes with military backgrounds and a predilection for racist statements. They wear propagandistic logos, wear Oakley shades and face masks with skeletons on them. Oh, and they’re vampires! The other big idea is that the Bloods and Crips are not just rival street gangs, but posits that the Crips are descendants of Zulu hunter warriors and Bloods are conspiracy theorists ready to battle any enemy! RJ Cyler stars as Wazi, a young Crip tired of the gang life he’s born into. When Wazi witnesses his Blood girlfriend kill…