Directed by Alexander Nonaka Galant

At a showing of a rental apartment, a young woman stumbles upon a gruesome mystery while taking pictures with her phone.

Review by Parker Jesse Chase:

The film opens with Natalie (Cynthia Galant) visiting an apartment that checks all the boxes for her dream rental, but this seemingly perfect scenario spirals into terror as her phone camera reveals a sinister mystery.

First & Last wastes no time immersing us in the action. Natalie’s excitement is palpable as she captures pictures of the apartment to share with a friend. It’s through this casual act she uncovers something chilling—a bloodstain visible only through her phone. This clever use of the camera as a window into a hidden reality drives the tension, offering a fresh spin on a classic horror trope.

Writer-director Alexander Nonaka Galant’s storytelling effectively layers suspense, from the trail of blood leading to a closed bathroom door to the climactic reveal behind the shower curtain. The gruesome discovery of the homeowner’s body, followed by a ghostly confrontation, feels both shocking and inevitable. Carmen Gillespie’s portrayal of Avira, the ghost unaware of her death, adds a haunting yet tragically human dimension. Her line, “It looks like you’ve seen a ghost,” punctuates the film with dark irony, cementing its eerie tone.

The foreshadowing in the film is subtle yet clever. The phone acts as a metaphorical mirror, reflecting the hidden truths of the crime scene. Everyday elements—a hopeful apartment hunt, casual photos, and the excitement of sharing a potential home with a friend—set the stage for the unfolding horror. Details like a restraining order buried among lease applications hint at the darker backstory, while the music composition intensifies the growing dread.

While First & Last effectively builds tension and delivers an intriguing premise, it doesn’t aim to break new ground. Its execution is solid, but it doesn’t reinvent the genre, its clever use of visual and narrative elements makes it a worthwhile watch. Still, in its brief runtime, the film manages to craft a satisfying story arc with strong pacing and atmosphere, leaving the audience to question, what exactly happened to Avira?