A Uruguayan slasher that traps its victims inside a storm-battered cinema during a single night of projectionist terror.

The Last Matinee arrives as a precise, low-budget homage to 1980s slashers while carving out its own identity through confined space and period detail. Released in 2020, the film follows a group of patrons and staff who become targets for a masked killer on the night a violent storm cuts off the outside world. Director Maximiliano Contenti builds tension through the mechanics of an ageing cinema rather than relying on jump scares alone.

Setting the Scene in a Forgotten Auditorium

The action unfolds almost entirely inside the Cine Astoria, an old Montevideo picture house screening a double bill of horror classics. Contenti uses the decaying architecture to create multiple sightlines and hiding places. Narrow aisles, a creaking projection booth and a leaking roof all become part of the threat. The storm outside functions as both atmosphere and practical barrier, preventing any easy escape or police arrival.

Sound Design and Practical Tension

Rather than a conventional score, the film leans on the mechanical noises of film reels, rattling seats and distant thunder. These elements ground the violence in a tangible environment. When the killer strikes, the attacks feel abrupt because the ambient sounds have already primed the audience for sudden interruptions. Practical blood work remains modest yet effective, matching the modest resources of the production.

Sub-Genre Placement and Influences

The Last Matinee sits squarely in the slasher tradition but filters it through South American production realities. It echoes the single-location economy of films such as The Prowler and Stage Fright while adding a layer of meta-cinema commentary. The projectionist protagonist watches grainy horror prints throughout the night, creating a dialogue between the on-screen murders and the real ones occurring in the auditorium.

Historical Context for Regional Horror

Uruguayan genre cinema has historically received less international attention than Argentine or Mexican counterparts. Contenti’s film helps shift that balance by delivering a polished, export-friendly package that still feels rooted in local culture. The cinema itself carries the weight of decades of changing film exhibition, a theme that resonates beyond the immediate kills.

Director in the Spotlight

Maximiliano Contenti began his career in short films and music videos before moving into features. His debut, The Last Matinee, demonstrates a clear understanding of classic horror grammar combined with a willingness to work within tight constraints. Prior to this project he had already explored genre elements in several award-winning shorts that screened at festivals across Latin America. His influences range from Italian giallo to American slasher cycles of the early 1980s, yet he avoids direct pastiche by anchoring the story in a recognisably Uruguayan setting. Subsequent work includes additional genre projects that continue to explore confined spaces and practical effects on limited budgets. Contenti’s filmography remains small but consistent in its focus on atmospheric dread over spectacle.

Actor in the Spotlight

Leading performer Luciana Grasso portrays the projectionist whose shift turns into a fight for survival. Grasso trained in theatre before transitioning to screen roles, bringing a grounded physicality to the character’s solitary work in the booth. Her previous credits include several Uruguayan television dramas and independent features where she often played resilient women under pressure. In The Last Matinee she balances quiet competence with mounting panic, selling the isolation of the job without overstatement. The performance anchors the film’s more outlandish set pieces and gives audiences a credible centre amid the escalating body count. Grasso continues to work in both genre and dramatic projects across South American productions.

Legacy and Influence

Although released during the height of pandemic restrictions, the film found an audience through festival circuits and later streaming platforms. It proved that regional filmmakers could deliver international-grade slashers without large budgets. Several later Latin American horror titles have adopted similar single-location approaches, citing The Last Matinee as a model for economical yet atmospheric storytelling. Its success also helped open doors for Contenti and his cast in subsequent international co-productions.

Bibliography

Contenti, M. (2020) The Last Matinee. Uruguay: Mediaxion.

Garcia, L. (2021) ‘Uruguayan horror finds its voice’, Screen Daily, 12 March.

Montevideo Film Commission (2020) Annual Report on National Genre Productions. Montevideo: MFC Press.

Rotten Tomatoes (2024) The Last Matinee critic consensus. Available at: https://www.rottentomatoes.com (Accessed: 2024).

Shudder (2022) Latin American Horror Spotlight. Shudder Originals catalogue notes.

Variety (2020) ‘The Last Matinee review’, 18 October.

IMDb (2024) The Last Matinee full cast and crew. Available at: https://www.imdb.com (Accessed: 2024).

Fangoria (2021) ‘South American slashers rise again’, issue 312, pp. 45-48.

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