One of the qualities I have most admired in Edgar Wright is that he positions himself as a film fan long before he does a director, with each one of his productions feeling like they are authentically crafted by someone who has a genuine fondness for the medium. It has allowed Wright to make films across a number of genres, none of his works occurring in exactly the same genre as another, and each one being distinct in its own way. However, Wright has often drawn attention to one genre in particular, with his devotion to classic horror being one of his most notable characteristics – each one of his entries in the Cornetto trilogy paid tribute to different kinds of horror in some way (Shaun of the Dead was focused on zombies, Hot Fuzz was a tribute to folk horror, and The World’s End was a 1950s science fiction horror pastiche), blending terror and comedy in new and interesting ways. However, Wright has finally done what he has been aiming to do for nearly two decades by making his first straightforward horror, which takes the form of Last Night in Soho, yet another homage to a bygone era in British horror – this time, the terrifying metropolitan terrors of the 1960s, where the intersection of the peak of Hammer House of Horrors and the more modern sensibilities of kitchen-sink realism formed to create absolutely unsettling portrayals of life during what was popularly referred to as the Swinging Sixties, an era that many look on fondly for a number of reasons, many of which are integrated into this film’s narrative fabric, and explored with a fervent dedication by a director who may have not experienced it first-hand, but still holds a deep fondness for the nostalgic nature of the period.

In all honesty, Last Night in Soho is a decent effort, but it’s far from Wright’s best work, mainly because (much like some of his more high-profile efforts outside his iconic trilogy, like Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs the World) it seems like such a deviation from what we are used to seeing from the director. His best films may take place in radically different genres, but there are some elements they all have in common – irreverent humour, strong characters and interesting storylines that are filled with twists and turns. While it is clear to see what Wright was trying to accomplish here, it does become a bit jarring to realize how little of his more endearing qualities have been carried over from previous films. It’s certainly understandable why Wright chose to approach this story in such a way, since his appreciation lies in paying homage to the genre, rather than deconstructing it in a way that could be considered in any way like an attempt to improve on it, which is unfortunately one of the more common qualities when modern directors attempt to craft tributes to bygone artistic eras. His intentions were purely to make his version of what a 1960s psychological horror, and in many ways he does succeed – but it’s in the areas that he doesn’t that we really feel Last Night in Soho starting to fall apart at the seams. It is certainly not enough to discredit the film as a whole, and Wright is certainly doing stellar work when it comes to both the design and scope of the story, but it does impact what could’ve been a near-masterpiece, had a few further steps been taken to iron out the kinks and deliver exactly what the director intended, rather than the roundabout way in which he approached a very promising story.

Ultimately, Wright set out to revisit the world made popular by films like Don’t Look Now and Peeping Tom, which are only two of the many fascinating films that informed the creation of this film. The sub-genre is ripe with potential inspirations, and we can see many of these films reflected here in Last Night in Soho, which was clearly constructed by someone who loved this style of filmmaking. The problem is, this film is far too referential, and holds slightly more reverance than it perhaps should have displayed. The challenge that comes when a director tries to replicate a genre they adore is that they become too focused on paying tribute, and don’t realize the extent to which they are still primarily making a film, rather than composing a detailed ode to their love for a particular kind of storytelling. The approach Wright took seems interesting in theory – a young woman in contemporary London finds herself transported back to the 1960s through her dreams, proving that her adoration for this genre is somewhat misplaced, since she discovers the dark underbelly of an era she loves. This is a clear case of modernity mixing with the past, and it’s a fascinating approach – but it doesn’t work with Wright’s fervent love for the period and its films, since he almost seems too afraid to touch what he clearly considers to be a sacrosanct era. All the horror takes place in the modern world (and unfortunately, most of the terror is flimsy and not particularly scary), rather than the neon-soaked Soho streets of many decades ago. Had the director simply set out to make a film set solely in this era, rather than looking at it through a convoluted plot that involves traversing time and space, it’s likely that the final result would’ve been far more successful. Last Night in Soho is far too focused on the psychological aspects of the story, it neglects to nurture the horror, which is really what most viewers came to see in the first place.

However, all hope is certainly not lost, since Wright does have an abundance of ambition, and a large part of what makes Last Night in Soho worth our time is that he does his absolute best to make sure that we understand where this film originates, the referential nature of the filmmaking constantly reminding us of the genre’s past. The film is populated by some terrific references – the soundtrack is incredible (and it’s far from the reckless series of needle-drops that we often find in films set in the 1960s, with Wright curating the aural landscape with a dedication that I wish had been carried over to the actual storytelling), and both Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, who are amongst the most promising young actresses working today, fit well into this world, the latter is particularly convincingly playing an ethereal 1960s mod girl. However, it’s the presence of several icons of 1960s British cinema that means the most, and is where the film actually succeeds without hesitation. Not only do the likes of Dame Diana Rigg, Rita Tushingham and Terence Stamp (all of whom are icons of the period) appear in the film, they have substantial roles that are far from just clever references. They play an active part in the development of the film, and frequently show that the director truly put in the effort to pay tribute by actually having the very people that inspired this film present throughout it. Had the film been this dedicated in terms of the overall story, which could’ve done with a lot of work in terms of streamlining its countless themes into one coherent story, there’s very little doubt that Last Night in Soho would’ve been a resounding success, instead of a series of missed opportunities.

One of the year’s most unique efforts, Last Night in Soho is something to behold – it may have its flaws, but they’re balanced out by the genuine love Wright feels towards the genre he is exploring here. It’s one of the more heartfelt tributes to the past, since it is made by someone who actually has a passion for the era, with the director mentioning his devotion to this category of horror several times over the years, ultimately making his attempt to make his own version an enormous inevitability. The only unfortunate aspect is that, considering he doesn’t often repeat genres, this is likely going to be his definitive entry into the psychological horror genre (at least this particular kind of horror), meaning that he’s not likely going to take the opportunity to voyage into this world again, which makes the fact that Last Night in Soho had many opportunities to achieve greatness but rarely did all the more disappointing. There was so much potential lurking throughout this film, and it really is difficult to argue against what the director is doing here, since he does put in a lot of effort to replicate the time and place, with the shortcomings arriving through narrative problems, and an over-saturation of ambition, which led to the film’s peculiar structure that was not nearly as intelligent or compelling as it seems to think it is. As a whole, Last Night in Soho needed a bit more work in terms of how it tells the story, since the technical elements are impeccable, and the inspirations are wonderful – but these components ultimately don’t mean all that much when they’re not used well in practice, and when the story that surrounds them really doesn’t warrant the patience and dedication put into recreating this enigmatic and iconic era. Last Night in Soho is entertaining taken for what it is, but it’s not much more than that, and it only makes us wonder what could’ve been possible had Wright just kept everything simple and straightforward, with the likely result being not only a more substantial homage to the 1960s, but a better film overall.