Vampires meet culture wars. That’s “Night Patrol.”

The film follows an LAPD officer who discovers a police task force is harboring a horrific secret that endangers residents of the housing projects he grew up in.

Blood and Commentary

While it may be the vampires that draw you in, “Night Patrol” actually has a lot to say. The film dives into culture wars – mainly systemic racism and corruption within police forces.

The problem with “Night Patrol?” It’s too heavy-handed for its own good.

Amid bloody carnage, characters pause to speak on the societal issues that the film aims to address. This not only feels like it’s speaking directly to the audience, but also hinders the movie’s pacing. There are several moments where “Night Patrol” ramps up the intensity, only to completely diminish it with unnecessary dialogue.

The movie’s core issue, however, is that none of the characters are worth rooting for. Sure, a few have redeemable qualities. But other than that, “Night Patrol” is simply asking the audience to go along for the ride.

This problem is heightened by the fact that it never hones in on any specific character. Through the film’s three chapters, various people are focused on. This always-changing perspective doesn’t allow viewers to latch on to any of them.

When the Fangs Come Out

While extremely different in quality, “Night Patrol” takes a similar genre approach as “Sinners.” It leans dramatic over the first two-thirds, before going all-in on the vampires in the closing 30 minutes.

Because it’s so hard to root for these characters, however, “Night Patrol” doesn’t have the same success. The primary issues that the film raises are impactful, but the ways in which they are explored feel too derivative and cliché.

Once the blood starts pouring, it does become a lot of fun. Though there are moments of gimmicky CGI gore, “Night Patrol” mostly nails the violence. It takes a minimalistic approach, with bursts of blood splatter and ripped limbs. Practical effects do most of the heavy lifting. This allows the film to remain entertaining – but it also makes the few less-than-perfect visual effects all the more noticeable.

Justin Long and Jermaine Fowler lead the way. While their screentime varies throughout the 104-minute runtime, both characters are memorable in their own ways. Long, specifically, goes from very tame to over-the-top wild on several occasions. Fowler plays more of the “sidekick” role and nails several jokes. The pair provide much of the film’s comedy amid its violence and social commentary.

Other notable cast members include RJ Cyler, Nicki Micheaux, Dermot Mulroney, CM Punk and Flying Lotus.

Style Over Cohesion

Director Ryan Prows attempts to blend all of these ideas together. While they work in spurts, they often don’t fully cohere. Because of this, “Night Patrol” is tonally all over the place.

It’s a visual success, however, utilizing a grainy look for an old-school feel. Cinematographer Benjamin Kitchens captures the aesthetic perfectly. Energetic camerawork and snappy editing make the intense scenes feel like jolts of energy.

“Night Patrol” is ambitious. But ambition doesn’t always equal success. It’s another culture-vampire infusion – with mixed results.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5