Never After Dark // Imagine Fantastic Film Fest 2026

I think we all know what to expect when we sit down to enjoy a haunted house ghost story. There are certain boxes that get checked off our mental list when ghosts are involved. Yet writer-director Dave Boyle (Man From Reno) takes that list and throws half of it out ‌the window. In his latest film, Never After Dark, the ghost in this haunted house isn’t what you’d expect.

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​Never After Dark feels quite familiar at first. Teiko (Tae Kimura) hires Airi (Moeka Hoshi) to get rid of a ghost she’s been seeing in her home. Airi travels alone and (somewhat) works as an exorcist of sorts for a living. When she arrives at the massive property, which is reminiscent of The Shining’s Overlook Hotel, Airi walks Teiko and her skeptic son, Gunji (Kento Kaku), through her process. Of course, it doesn’t take her long to settle in and attempt to banish the ghost that’s haunting Teiko’s home.

Boyle also does some settling of his own, patiently building the story around Airi, her ability, and this mysterious ghost. Armed with scissors, a mirror, and a candle, she’s able to cross the veil into the spirit world. She also talks to her sister, who died when she was a child. Airi’s world is layered, and Boyle takes his time revealing the pieces that make up that world.

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Airi thinks she’s figured out the ghost because she knows what he wants. Ignoring a warning from her sister, Airi follows her usual formula for contacting and expelling spirits. However, this spirit isn’t like the others. As those familiar threads unravel going into the second half, Boyle does away with the ghost story expectations. The spirit Airi works to expel claims he isn’t dead, but alive. Airi knows all too well that the dead find it hard to accept their death and assumes this is that. That is until she gets a strange visitor who proves the boundaries of life and death aren’t as solid as she thought.

​Ironically, Boyle presents Never After Dark with so much light. Even when it’s dark, there’s always some light nearby, as if it’s peering into the scene. Jonathan Snipes’ score fills up the space with haunting, moody tones that work well throughout the film. Boyle’s script feels intentional, utilizing Japanese and American horror influences. It’s almost simplistic in its effectiveness, too. There’s no big buildup to the scares because Airi isn’t afraid of ghosts. She actually prefers the dead over the living. By the end of the film, we can see why. While not without flaws, Boyle subverts expectations and delivers a unique ghost story.