Movie Review: Night Patrol Has a Racism Problem
If you walked into Night Patrol (now out on Shudder) expecting a standard creature feature, you likely walked out feeling like you’d been through a sociopolitical meat grinder. While the film sells itself on a “cops vs. vampires” hook, the real horror isn’t the fangs—it’s the relentless, ugly reality of systemic racism that makes “enjoyment” a very complicated word to use here. Predatory Policing Literalized Directed by Ryan Prows (Lowlife), the story follows Xavier (Jermaine Fowler), a Black LAPD officer who left his gang past behind to patrol his old neighborhood. His world fractures when his brother Wazi (RJ Cyler) witnesses a clandestine unit—the titular Night Patrol—murdering a civilian. The “twist” is that this task force isn’t just corrupt; they are vampires. But they aren’t the sexy, gothic kind. These are “vampire-colonizers” (referred to as the Obayifo in West African mysticism) who specifically target Black and impoverished residents, treating the housing projects like a private pantry. The “Racism” Problem The
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