The Last Matinee 2021

As the sun dipped below the horizon in Montevideo in 1993, an air of menace enveloped a rundown movie theater. A hooded figure, draped in a black coat and gloves, entered unnoticed, their presence as fleeting as the city’s whispers. At the same time, Ana, an aspiring engineer with a love for film, stepped in to take on her father’s role as the projectionist, having paused her studies to care for him during his illness. With a blend of nervousness and resolve, she commenced her journey into the archaic machinery, her fingers gliding over the controls like a maestro conducting a symphony.

Unbeknownst to the scattered audience—comprising three teenagers, a couple on a date, a boy sneaking in for a thrill, and a girl waiting patiently for her companion—the shadowy figure struck its first victim. Mauricio, the overconfident security guard, fell victim to the killer’s stealthy assault, his throat slit open like ripe fruit. In his final moments, he appeared to Ana, voicing his concerns about an alarm clock interrupting her concentration. With rising discomfort, Ana requested he leave her be, and he reluctantly descended to take a short nap.

However, destiny had other plans. As the ticket seller exited, Mauricio was once again attacked, his body crumpling to the ground like a leaf caught in an autumn breeze. The killer, now aware of Ana’s solitude in the projection room, attempted to gain entry but found himself thwarted by her quick thinking. Meanwhile, the theater transformed into a deadly arena. Goni, one of the teenagers, approached the lone girl with flirtatious intentions; they shared a brief kiss before fate dealt a fatal blow, as a metal bar pierced their skulls like a sinister rose. In another part of the theater, Gabriela and Horacio were cut short while preparing to leave, as the killer brutally took Horacio’s life in a restroom stall.

As the night deepened into darkness, Ana returned to her sanctuary, the shrill ring of the alarm clock a chilling reminder that Mauricio was lost. Her search for him yielded no results, and a sense of dread compelled her to the safety of the projection room, unaware that true horror was just beginning to unfold. As tensions mounted among the group, Angela and Esteban noticed Goni’s odd behavior towards the enigmatic girl, prompting Angela to delve deeper into the mystery. Her investigation led her to the gruesome discovery of Goni and his companion’s lifeless bodies. At the same time, chaos ensued as the deranged killer brutally ended Gabriela’s life by plunging a knife into her heart.

As the horror mounted, Ana’s efforts to fix the situation led to technical failures, only to inadvertently restore the film, increasing her panic. Descending into the theater, she was met with a shocking scene of carnage—the eyes of the victims violently gouged out. In this moment of despair, Angela’s apparition appeared, urging Ana to escape alongside her. With their hearts racing, the three girls stumbled upon Mauricio’s lifeless body—a stark reminder that the key to their salvation was now in the killer’s possession.

The killer awoke, pursuing Tomás, but Ana intervened with a piece of glass, striking him in the eye. Seeking refuge in the projection room, Ana tried to reach the authorities; however, their sanctuary was shattered by the sudden arrival of the killer. A chilling moment unfolded as he revealed a glass jar full of his victims’ eyes, a haunting confession coming from his mouth—he had chewed off his own severed eye.

With the killer on the prowl and a knife in hand, Angela daringly created a diversion by scattering tapes on the floor, allowing Tomás and Ana a chance for escape. But the chaos came with a price. As Angela fled through a back room, her escape was thwarted by the killer, who mercilessly ended her life using the projector, painting the theater floor with her blood.

With Tomás visibly shaken, Ana consoled him as they awaited help, fueled by a fierce determination, she seized the metal bar from the deceased teenagers’ hands. Injured but unyielding, she managed to deliver a fatal blow to the killer, putting an end to his reign of terror. The killer’s body crashed to the ground, causing the jar to shatter and release a horrid collection of eyeballs.

When the authorities finally arrived, Ana held Tomás in a comforting embrace, his gaze fixed, captivated by the vacant eyes of their friends, forever haunted by the horrors they had endured.