🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: Travis Zariwny
- Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
- Release year: 2016
- Runtime (length): 1h 35min
- IMDb rating: 4.8/10 (12K+ votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 0%
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
A game found in the attic is guaranteed to summon a demon, but the real horror is watching these teens make hilariously bad decisions for 90 minutes.
🍿 The Midnight Man: Detailed Plot Synopsis
The Midnight Game’s Dark History
The film opens in 1953 with three children attempting to survive a demonic ritual known as The Midnight Game. Trapped in an attic, they must keep candles lit and stay within a salt circle to evade the malevolent entity it summons, the Midnight Man. The game proves fatal for two of the children, setting a tragic precedent for the cursed house.

Discovery and Revival of the Game
Decades later, teenager Alex is caring for her ailing grandmother, Anna, in the same house. While searching the attic for her grandmother’s mirror, Alex discovers a mysterious box containing the artifacts and rules of The Midnight Game, along with a list of past players marked with blood. Driven by curiosity, Alex and her friend Miles decide to play the game, unaware of the true danger they are unleashing.

Rules, Fears, and First Encounters
Following the bizarre ritual, Alex and Miles light their candles at midnight and begin the game. They quickly realize the ancient ritual is terrifyingly real as the Midnight Man manifests, feeding on their deepest fears and attempting to extinguish their protective candles. They learn that if a candle goes out, they must relight it within ten seconds or form a salt circle for protection until 3:33 AM.

A Friend Joins the Fray
Their friend Kelly arrives unexpectedly, unaware of the game’s horrors. Despite warnings, she joins them, quickly becoming another target of the Midnight Man. As the entity isolates and torments them, their candles become increasingly difficult to keep lit, pushing them closer to their terrifying demise.

Seeking Answers and Confronting the Past
An old family friend, Dr. Harding, arrives at the house and reveals his knowledge of the game, having witnessed the original players’ fate. He explains that Anna has continued to play the game over the years, sacrificing others to the Midnight Man, including Alex’s own mother. Harding emphasizes that the entity is relentless and does not tolerate losing.
⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Alex Luster (Gabrielle Haugh): The teenage granddaughter who discovers the cursed game and becomes the main target of the Midnight Man.
- The Midnight Man (Kyle Strauts): A pagan demon summoned by the game who torments players by exploiting their worst fears.
- Anna Luster (Lin Shaye): Alex’s senile grandmother who has a history with the Midnight Game and influences the present events.
- Miles (Grayson Gabriel): Alex’s friend who discovers and participates in the dangerous Midnight Game with her.
- Kelly (Em Haine): Miles and Alex’s friend who joins the deadly game unaware of its true nature.
- Dr. Harding (Robert Englund): An old family friend and doctor who knows about the Midnight Game’s past and tries to help.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- Dr. Harding: “Bait? I’m afraid your friend is no longer bait, she’s the appetizer.” – Dr. Harding grimly informs Alex and Miles about the Midnight Man’s true intentions regarding Kelly.
- Midnight Man: “What’s your fear?” – A recurring question or taunt used by the Midnight Man to confront and manipulate the players by exploiting their deepest phobias.
- Rules of the Game: “Follow the rules and you will be safe, don’t and you will die!” – A central instruction found on the rules sheet, outlining the deadly stakes of the Midnight Game.
💰Box Office
- Budget: $1.5 million
- Domestic Gross: $8,616
- Worldwide Gross: $2,930,680
💥 The Midnight Man Reviews
Personal Review
Okay, so I went into this expecting some cheesy horror, and honestly, it delivered! The whole premise of playing a cursed game in a creepy old house totally hooked me. The atmosphere in that house was top-notch; seriously felt like something could jump out anytime, especially with all the lights out bits. Seeing Lin Shaye and Robert Englund pop up was a huge bonus, they’re horror royalty and just have this awesome presence. Yeah, the younger actors made some eye-rollingly dumb choices sometimes – like, why would you EVER play that game?! – but it was part of the fun, you know? Like yelling at the screen with friends. The Midnight Man himself was kinda hit or miss, sometimes creepy, sometimes a bit silly when he talked too much. Overall, it was a fun Friday night watch, definitely worth it if you don’t take it too seriously and just enjoy the spooky vibes and jump scares.
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of urban legend or Creepypasta-based horror films”
- “Viewers who enjoy supernatural horror involving cursed games or rituals”
- “Audiences interested in seeing Robert Englund and Lin Shaye in supporting roles”
- “Those looking for low-to-mid budget horror with jump scares and gore”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Strong sequences of horror violence and gore”
- “Disturbing images and thematic elements (fear, death, dementia)”
- “Jump scares”
- “References to suicide”
Professional Reviews
- Fictional Fear Film: “The Midnight Man offers some genuinely creepy atmosphere thanks to its old house setting and sporadic effective scares. Horror veterans Lin Shaye and Robert Englund provide memorable, albeit brief, performances that elevate the material. While the plot mechanics can feel convoluted and character logic occasionally baffling, the film delivers enough tense sequences and disturbing imagery to satisfy genre fans looking for a dark urban legend come to life.
- Indie Scares Review: “Based on the popular Creepypasta, The Midnight Man struggles to translate its intriguing premise into consistent dread. Character motivations are often questionable, leading to frustration rather than fear. The titular demon, while visually striking at times, suffers from excessive dialogue that diminishes his mystique. Despite a few gruesome moments and the presence of horror icons, the film is hampered by a weak script and pacing issues, making it a sometimes boring, sometimes laughable affair.
Audience Reactions
Fans enjoyed the creepy house setting and atmospheric tension.: The presence of Lin Shaye and Robert Englund was a major draw and highlight for many viewers.
The initial concept of ‘The Midnight Game’ based on the Creepypasta resonated with viewers familiar with the source.: Practical effects and some gore moments were appreciated by horror aficionados.
Overall Consensus: A divisive horror film. Some viewers found it atmospheric and fun with enjoyable performances from its veteran cast, while others criticized its illogical plot, weak script, and inconsistent scares.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “The film is based on ‘The Midnight Game’, a popular Creepypasta story.”
- “It is a remake of an independent Irish film also titled ‘Midnight Man’, released in 2013.”
- “The movie features two horror genre veterans, Robert Englund (famous for playing Freddy Krueger) and Lin Shaye (known for her role in the Insidious franchise), appearing together.”
- “Principal photography took place entirely in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.”
🖥️ How to Watch The Midnight Man?
To watch ‘The Midnight Man’, check major digital platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV, Vudu, or YouTube Movies for rental or purchase options. Availability on subscription streaming services may vary, so consult your preferred platform for current options.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed The Midnight Man, you might like these similar films:
- The Midnight Game (2013): Another horror film directly based on the same popular Creepypasta story about the Midnight Game.
- Truth or Dare (2018): Similar premise where a group of friends are forced to play a demonic game with deadly rules, facing supernatural consequences if they fail.
- It Follows (2014): Features a relentless, supernatural entity that stalks and hunts its victims, often manifesting based on their psychological state or fears.
- Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016): Another supernatural horror film from the same year involving a game or object that summons a dangerous entity into a home.
- Candyman (1992): Focuses on an urban legend brought to horrifying life, dealing with themes of fear, belief, and the consequences of summoning a powerful entity.
🛒 The Midnight Man Related Products
- The Midnight Game Replica Prop Box: A detailed prop replica of the mysterious wooden box from the movie, complete with game pieces, faux rules, and weathered finish. Perfect for display.
- What’s Your Fear? Movie T-Shirt: Comfortable cotton t-shirt featuring subtle graphic design inspired by The Midnight Man and the movie’s tagline, ‘What’s Your Fear?’.
- Creepypasta Anthology: The Midnight Game and Other Urban Legends: An e-book collection featuring the original ‘Midnight Game’ Creepypasta story that inspired the film, alongside other popular urban horror legends from the internet.
- Urban Legend Horror Triple Feature (Includes The Midnight Man): Digital movie bundle featuring The Midnight Man and two other horror films based on internet urban legends or creepy games.
🎧 Soundtrack
The Midnight Man features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
- “The Midnight Game Begins” – performed by Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- “Whispers in the Dark” – performed by Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- “Fear Manifests” – performed by Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- “Salt Circle Protection” – performed by Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
‘The Midnight Man’ movie is based on the popular Creepypasta story known as “The Midnight Game.” This online urban legend outlines a ritual said to summon a demonic entity, but it is a fictional creation, not a true historical event.
In the movie, The Midnight Man is portrayed as an ancient pagan entity or demon summoned by performing the Midnight Game ritual. Its primary ability is to use players’ deepest fears against them, making survival a psychological as well as physical challenge.
Yes, horror icons Robert Englund (known for Freddy Krueger) and Lin Shaye (known for the Insidious series) have significant supporting roles in ‘The Midnight Man’. Lin Shaye plays the grandmother, Anna, who has a long history with the game, and Robert Englund plays Dr. Harding, a character who knows about the game’s past.
According to the film, the game requires participants to write their name on paper with blood, place it on a piece of wood with a lit candle, knock on a wooden door 22 times at midnight, and then enter. Players must then move through the house until 3:33 AM, keeping their candle lit and avoiding The Midnight Man. If a candle goes out, they have ten seconds to relight it or form a protective circle of salt. Failure to do so before The Midnight Man finds them results in a forced hallucination of their greatest fear.
🔥 Bonus Content
Midnight Man Horror Challenge At 3:00 AM | *DO NOT PLAY* This Game
Curious about the creepy ‘Midnight Man’ game the movie is based on? Watch this video to see people actually attempting the challenge – it’s definitely not for the faint of heart!
The Midnight Game😱Waitforend👿#shorts #horrorstories #ghost #youtubeshorts #charanspy
Want a bite-sized scare inspired by the movie? This super popular short video about the Midnight Game ritual is quick, creepy, and nails that unsettling feeling!
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