Whoever said it was cool to work for Big Pharma? You may want to rethink that strategy after watching Night of Violence.

According to the folks at Robinek, business (and lawsuits) is booming, and securing a favorable judgement against a town that’s out for blood is an incredible victory. Time to celebrate!  

As the Robinek employees gather to commemorate their success, their worries and troubles are laid aside as they drink, dance, bang in the bathroom and go bat-shit wild. There is zero anticipation of what’s about to happen: a long night of treacherous revenge, starting with a woman “having car issues” in the parking garage who ends up frying a security guard with jumper cables. Note to self: Try this next time my vehicle doesn’t start. Got it.  

Those who have been wronged by the outcome of this painful litigation, disguise themselves as catering staff to access this fun-loving shindig which houses the area’s nemesis: Robinek.  

At the height of the festivities, the masked gang of murderers disrupt the party by wheeling in what appears to be, the CEO on a dolly…a la “Lector-style”. A quick throat slash, tossed grenades and a stampede of stabbings follow in a manic moment, sending the crowd to scramble for safety as the morbid massacre ignites. I hate to admit the operatic elegance that flows during one of the most graphically insane scenes of the film, but damn! That was like gracefully dancing on a red flowing river of barbaric violence.  

Between the moments of panic and undertones of satirical hilarity, this narrative intertwines well with the talented cast who are consistently strong, bold and real during the most critical moments of terror and camaraderie. Well, that solidarity does tend to dwindle a bit for Blake (the exceptionally gifted Russ Russo) as the employees’ leader who displays no mercy, questionable chauvinism and plenty of douchey remarks. Blake is high on the company’s “win” despite the fact that the payoff results are literally trying to eliminate him in the most horrific manner imaginable.  

Night of Violence lives up to its name. It’s fantastically ferocious with non-stop heart pounding overkills. Even with sharp minded, nerdy Elliott (an excellently effective Kit Lang) in tow helping to locate a way out of this now graveyard of butchered bodies, the lesson learned here is quite simple: sometimes you’re not as clever as you are lucky.