Jake Gyllenhaal plays a real creep in this incredibly compelling thriller

Rating: 10/10 (27 November 2014)

Technically, "Nightcrawler" is more of a thriller, or a drama than it is a horror film, but that doesn't make it any less terrifying. If you're wondering what the title is about, this isn't a spin-off of the X-men, it's a job title. Nightcrawlers are people who spend their time listening on the police radios for bad news. They listen for calls reporting car crashes, home invasions, robberies or any other violent crime. Once something suitably juicy is found, they grab their camcorders and sound equipment, rush to the scene, film it and sell the footage to news programs. The more shocking, the more valuable the images. Our main character is Lou (superbly acted by Jake Gyllenhaal). There's no other word for it, he's a creep. When he finds out about nightcrawling, he gives it a shot and finds out that he's got a natural talent for it. That is when things begin taking a dark turn, and this guy was a scary one to begin with.
I know what you're thinking already. Is this guy going to end up committing murders, filming them and selling them to the news reporters? Is this a movie about a serial killer that films his crimes? Quite simply, no it isn't. That's because this is a realistic movie. Frighteningly realistic. Here's how I can describe it to you without giving anything away. Imagine you were kind of a sensitive kid in high school and you noticed that there was one kind of weird guy that everyone picked on. You felt bad for him and held out your hand in a casual friendship, but the two of you never really hung out regularly and because he was such an outcast, the kid eventually transferred to another school. You never kept in contact. Years later you are getting off work at around 10:00 pm and you just happen to bump into him. Maybe out of a bit of guilt, you ask how he's doing and he suggests that the two of you sit down and have coffee to catch up. Not really having any plans, and feeling kind of hungry you figure it would be rude to say no, so you agree. You place an order and as you are waiting for your food, the guy confesses to you that he was really happy to bump into you. He's been thinking about you a lot recently, he's even been talking to his girlfriend about getting back in contact with you. You think it's kind of weird, but it doesn't really set off any alarms. As your food arrives, the guy leans in and confesses that the reason he's been thinking about you is that he's been looking for someone that he thinks might understand why he's been leaving poisoned food in the nearby woods for animals, or wandering pets to eat. That exact moment is what "Nightcrawler" is like. It's that chill that runs down your spine as your realize you've gotten yourself into a situation that you might be able to escape from, but one that's unsettling and frightening. Out of curiosity, you decide to stick around.
This is one intense movie. As the film follows this truly unlikeable protagonist, I never became sympathetic towards him, but I also didn't want to miss an instant of the story. I wanted to know what Lou was up to because I was worried about what he would end up doing. I almost felt like maybe if I comfortably watched these events from the safe distance of my movie theatre seat, it would help me arm myself in case I ever encountered someone like him. It's a fascinating journey because you always get the feeling that something bad is going to happen, but you also think that maybe things are going to be alright. Realistically, I suppose that there is a need for nightcrawlers and it's not like the guy is doing anything illegal by shooting these videos. I mean yeah it's weird that he's so uncannily good at it, and that he seems to enjoy it, but it's not unheard of for people to work in a place you would assume would be traumatizing, like a slaughterhouse for instance, right? That feeling, that fleeting hope is what compels you sticking around to watch the whole thing. In a way, you're like a hostage, and in others you're like the people who watch the sickening footage of car crashes and murder victims on the news. You know this it might be a bad idea to keep watching, but somehow you area compelled to do so.
This film is good. It's scary good. It's not frightening because of jump scares, or paranormal entities, or ghouls coming in to eat your brains. It's intimidating because the film feels so real. You believe that director/writer Dan Gilroy is trying to tell you something, about someone that he knows but he doesn't want to give away all of the crucial information, lest the person he is trying to warn us about find out about this film. I found myself completely immersed in "Nightcrawler". I didn't know if I wanted the movie to end quickly so I could get out of the theatre and get back home where it would be safe, or stick around forever and learn everything there is to know about this fascinating guy. I know that "Nightcrawler" is going to disturb and frighten you, but we could all use a bit of a spook, particularly when the piece that is doing the scaring is as good, as compelling as this. (Theatrical version on the big screen, November 25, 2014)