Ghost stories have been a staple in horror media, from “The Conjuring” (2013) to” The Exorcist” (1973), only now these stories have taken a new format in today’s horror movies. “Late Night with the Devil” stars David Dastmalchian (last seen in “Oppenheimer”) playing a 70s T.V show host who’s trying to bring his program back mainstream, interviewing members of the occult to help him do so. 

The trailers for this were astounding, bringing the audience into the scares without giving away too much of the plot. I walked into this movie enthusiastic, but came out disappointed. The plot was poorly told, and the story never had you on the edge of your seat. The earlier mockumentary format was also ditched, and the story was so jumbled that I couldn’t even understand what happened. The popular,  “We’ll be right back!” segments also used AI, as the directors admitted to using it as an “Experiment.” Audience members were split in half on whether others should care or not that the movie used AI images so nonchalantly. LNWTD however made $2.8 million during its opening weekend, and even after controversies made $9.9 million total in theaters. 

Beyond the cons however, there were a few good parts of the movie. It felt like I was watching a real 70’s late night show, like the old “The Tonight Show,” and the actors were so good they felt like real people in the end. 

Overall, “Late Night with the Devil” wasn’t worth it, as it felt like they cut corners throughout the whole movie. It’s something I wouldn’t recommend wasting money on, but if you want to see a new horror movie format, then check it out. Just know, you’re going to be disappointed.