Day 7. Free Space!
If you’ve spent any time reading this site, you know the deal. We love a good DTV oddity, and few things are as delightfully “what-the-hell-is-this” as the career of Robert Bronzi. You know him—the Hungarian actor who looks so much like Charles Bronson it’s practically a superpower.
Usually, when you see a title like 12 to Midnight, you’re expecting a gritty, street-level vigilante flick, a direct nod to the Cannon Films era. And for a hot second, you get it. Detective Toth (Bronzi) starts in a convenience store, taking out scum like he’s Manny Cobretti. He’s drowning his sorrows after his wife meets a grizzly end and has lost his badge. But he’s soon back on the beat when a new string of murders starts, and the killer isn’t just a psycho with a knife. He’s got hair, claws, and a serious issue with the lunar cycle.
Yes, the movie decides it’s tired of just being Death Wish and pivots hard into a werewolf movie.
This flick also features UFC legend Tito Ortiz filling a niche here that feels like it was designed for a discount Vin Diesel. But the film really succeeds thanks to its atmospheric vibe, heavily bolstered by the filming locations in Centralia, PA—which is, for all intents and purposes, the real-life Silent Hill.
Is the werewolf costume a bit silly? Sure. Are the practical effects a mixed bag? Always. But that’s the charm of this movie, which finally answers the question I’ve asked a hundred times: What would happen if Charles Bronson got to shoot a werewolf?
This film continues the meta-narrative of the Bronzi Cinematic Universe, where Robert Bronzi essentially recreates the tropes of classic 70s and 80s action cinema through a low-budget, modern horror lens. I want to say, “Thank you, Bronzi.” You already showed us what would happen if Bronson fought Pazuzu in Exorcist Vengeance and a slasher in Cry Havoc. I can only hope we get to see what happens when Bronzi asks aliens, vampires and super villains if they want to meet Jesus.
You can watch this on Tubi.
