Film Review: The Night Boyz (5/10)

Vampires with hood problems…

The Night Boyz, directed and written by BonVida, is a horror-thriller sprinkled with unexpected giggles, bursts of hood action, and a fresh take on the vampire niche. Starring Brian Fernandez, Brooke “Little” Dugan, Leslie A. Jones, and BonVida himself, the film follows two kinda-sorta teenage “half-vampires” on a quest to find the only weapon capable of vanquishing the head vampire before he kicks off a full undead apocalypse.

STORY (0/2)

The Night Boyz is definitely not Sinners in any way, shape, or form — and I say that lovingly. It starts off like it might lean in that direction, then quickly pivots into its own original-but-also-typical lane. The villain opens with a surprisingly tender and vulnerable moment, which sets the tone for his mission of revenge. It’s a strong start.

Our two cousins — not really in the hood, but hood-adjacent enough to talk like it — stumble into chaos thanks to a mysterious, sexy girl with a secret. That secret spirals into a world we’ve all visited multiple times in vampire lore. At an hour and 54 minutes, this story really could’ve been told in a tight, focused 90.

The film struggles with continuity and avoids complexity at nearly every turn. The bones of something fun are there, but they needed more meat on 'em. Still, it’s an easy, simple watch if you’re not expecting a story with layers.

VISUALS (2/2)

I’ll say it outright: the cinematography is what saved this movie for me.

The color grading on the skyline? Gorgeous.The LA river sequence? Iconic — that location is practically a co-star, and the film uses it well.The overhead vertical pans, the wide drone-style environmental shots, the sweeping transitions, all of that helped maintain visual momentum even when the story slowed.

The visuals keep your eyes busy in a good way, pulling you through scenes that might’ve felt flat otherwise.

The special effects… well, they’re hit or miss. The yellow and purple vampire eyes can throw you for a loop, but honestly, with this genre, you can forgive a lot. What’s harder to forgive is practical continuity; like showing a box-cutter slash that somehow turned into a full keloid scar between shots. That breaks immersion real quick.

But overall? The visual team carried their weight, and then some.

SOUND (1/2)

The score itself does its job. I love hearing new and emerging artists get a chance to shine, and musically, the film matches the mood of the story pretty well. It brings tension when needed and lifts the energy when things slide off track.

Where the audio stumbles is in the sound effects. A few punches land with… silence. Some sequences feel like they’re waiting for foley that never shows up. It’s not deal-breaking, but you’ll notice it.

Still — trust me — I’ve heard way worse.

CHARACTER (1/2)

Here’s where it gets complicated.

Josh (Brian Fernandez) plays uncertainty well. He sells the confused, hesitant half-vamp teen vibe, and you believe he’s in over his head.

Mike (BonVida) is the wild card, leaning heavy into immature, sometimes oblivious “cornball cousin” energy. He’s funny, but also chaotic, and sometimes that chaos feels unintentional.

Lily (Brooke “Little” Dugan) deserved way more development. She’s the hinge of the story, yet she gets the least exploration. By the time her backstory hits near the end, it feels too little, too late — not because Dugan can’t deliver, but because the script doesn’t give her enough room to carve out a full character.

Yashua (Leslie A. Jones) honestly has the most at stake. His grief, his trauma, and his simmering rage all come through clearly. He feels like the character with the deepest emotional landscape, and Jones plays him like a man with nothing left to lose — which gives the audience someone real to latch onto.

In short, the cast has potential, and certain performances rise above the material, but uneven character development makes it hard for everyone to shine equally. The film knows who its emotional anchor is, but it struggles to give the rest of the characters the same depth or clarity.

FACTOR X (1/2)

The film has heart and sometimes heart counts more than perfection.

You can see the work that went into building a world tied to history, family, generational pain, and hood-infused folklore. Themes of long-distance family struggles, inherited trauma, and inner-city violence are all present, just not always refined.

There’s a Vampire in Brooklyn–style DNA running through it carrying a nice balance of humor, horror, and cultural flavor. If quality had been prioritized over quantity, this could’ve been a standout in the underground vampire genre.

It’s ambitious. Maybe too ambitious at times. But ambition isn’t a bad thing.

The Night Boyz has room to grow, but it also has charm. In the right hands, this concept could’ve been a limited series, giving its lore and characters space to breathe.

If you’re in the mood for a fun, goofy, hood-leaning vampire flick with personality, or if you love John Carpenter’s Vampires and any other bloodsucker misadventures, give it a watch on TUBI. It won’t change your life but it might give you a good time.

FINAL SCORE: 5/10

Where to Watch: Tubi