By Is there a genre Edgar Wright can’t tackle? The man has covered zombie comedies, comic book adaptations, heist movies, and satires of action movies. Now, he can add horror movies to his repertoire. Last Night in Soho joins the list of impressive films from Wright and it should be no surprise that it is Flixist’s Best Horror movie of 2021.
Last Night in Soho is an homage to the Giallo type of films that have made a comeback as of late with Malignant joining those ranks as well. It’s a story about Ellie, a girl who has always wanted to move to London, follow in her mother’s footsteps of being a designer, and has a passion for the style of the ’60s. She moves towards her dream but along the way is haunted by visions of a girl and of murder.
The visions continue and the danger intensifies. The ghosts of the past come out to haunt Ellie once she falls a little too far down the rabbit hole. The movie has a good message about not living in the past and looking towards the future. In Ellie’s case, living in the past starts to impede her sanity and well-being. The movie is gorgeous and while it doesn’t offer that much in the realm of scares, it certainly unnerves you with its visuals and use of color.
The look and feel of Last Night in Soho are what bring you into its twisted narrative. Jumping back and forth into the past puts not only Wright’s fantastic direction on display but Chung-hoon Chung’s cinematography on another level. The performances are outstanding across the board as well. Thomasin McKenzie is a great focal point at showing us how Eloise is hopeful but shy and dealing with ever-darkening visions. Anya Taylor-Joy was even named our Best Supporting Actress this year and is a perfect mirror to McKenzie showing the downfall of another optimistic person who came to London looking to fulfill their dream. Matt Smith and the late Diana Rigg also have memorable turns with Smith bringing a charm and then menace to Jack.
This is a movie Edgar Wright wanted to make for a long time and I can see why. It allowed him to delve into the more psychological horror and trippy visuals that stick with you long after the movie has ended. The long shots, throwback sets, color scheme, and jarring intrusions of visions all make this movie stand out. I don’t know what Wright is going to do next but as always I’m excited to see it.