Last Hour

Last Hour is a 2008 American straight-to-video action thriller film directed by Pascal Caubet.^[1] The movie follows five criminals who receive mysterious letters from a man they believe to be dead, luring them to an abandoned house in rural China where they become trapped with a killer among them.^[2] Released directly to DVD on April 15, 2008, it features a runtime of 95 minutes and blends elements of crime drama and suspense.^[3] The film was shot in China and emphasizes claustrophobic settings within a bunker-like house to heighten the thriller atmosphere.^[3] Notable supporting cast includes Paul Sorvino and William Baldwin, contributing to its ensemble of seasoned actors in a low-budget production.^[4] Upon release, Last Hour received largely negative reviews, with critics noting its derivative storyline reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and lackluster pacing despite intense action sequences in the final act. It holds a 2.9/10 rating on IMDb based on user votes and an 11% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes from a limited number of reviews, often cited for its B-movie appeal but criticized for poor scripting and acting.^[1] The film has since gained minor cult interest as one of the later projects for stars like DMX and David Carradine before their passings.^[1]

Overview

Plot

Five criminals—Black Jack, Monk, Poker, Poison, and Shang—each receive mysterious letters from their deceased fathers, promising wealth beyond their dreams and summoning them to an abandoned, bulletproof house in rural China.^[5] Arriving heavily armed and suspicious of one another, they enter the isolated structure, where a mysterious woman opens the door and then seals it shut, preventing escape.^[6] They soon realize the house is surrounded by police, and a psychotic killer is targeting them, leaving the group with only one hour to survive amid growing suspicion and shocking plot twists.^[7] As tensions escalate, the criminals confront their pasts and each other in a claustrophobic standoff, probing for the killer's identity while evading capture. The narrative unfolds in real time, building to revelations that force them to navigate betrayal and alliance in a desperate bid for survival.^[5]

Cast

The film Last Hour features an ensemble cast of actors known for roles in action, thriller, and crime genres, blending established veterans with international talent to portray a group of hardened criminals and supporting figures trapped in a tense standoff. The principal characters are five criminals summoned to an isolated location, each bringing distinct archetypes that highlight the film's themes of betrayal and survival.^[8]

Actor	Role	Description
DMX	Black Jack	A tough, introspective criminal haunted by personal losses, serving as the group's reluctant leader.^[8]^[7]
Michael Madsen	Monk	A cynical veteran crook with a deliberate, brooding demeanor shaped by years in the underworld.^[8]
Pascal Caubet	Poker	A sharp-witted operative with a gambler's edge, navigating the group's dynamics strategically.^[8]
Krystyna Ferentz	Poison	A seductive femme fatale whose allure masks a dangerous and manipulative nature.^[8]
Tommy Wong	Shang	A silent, imposing enforcer of mysterious origins, providing physical intimidation to the ensemble.^[8]

Supporting roles include David Carradine as Detective Mike Stone, an enigmatic figure who orchestrates the central conflict; Paul Sorvino as Maitre Steinfeld, a authoritative mob boss type exerting influence from afar; Bettina Antoni in a key accomplice role; and Mónica Cruz as another seductive ally in the intrigue.^[8] The casting emphasizes the ensemble's chemistry, drawing on the actors' prior work in gritty crime narratives to underscore the film's claustrophobic tension among reluctant allies.^[7]

Production

Development

The screenplay for Last Hour was co-written by Pascal Caubet and Maxime Lemaitre, who crafted a narrative centered on a group of criminals trapped in a remote house, unraveling secrets under threat of death.^[8]^[9] Pascal Caubet directed the film, drawing from his background as a French filmmaker to helm an English-language crime thriller with international elements, including filming in China.^[10]^[1] Production was spearheaded by Brand New Films, alongside Creation Film and Television and Black Hangar Studios, with DMX serving as co-producer in a role that highlighted his shift from hip-hop artistry to behind-the-scenes involvement in cinema.^[9]^[8] The project, budgeted at $9 million, was developed as an independent effort aimed at the direct-to-video market.^[1]^[11]

Casting

The casting for Last Hour was managed by a small team focused on assembling genre veterans within the constraints of the film's limited budget. DMX, who also served as a producer, was selected for the lead role of Black Jack, drawing on his established star power in both rap music and action cinema from earlier projects like Belly (1998).^[12]^[8] Michael Madsen was cast as Monk, chosen for his distinctive noir persona honed in Quentin Tarantino's films such as Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004). David Carradine brought additional gravitas to the role of Detective Mike Stone, building on his martial arts legacy and recent high-profile work in Tarantino's Kill Bill series (2003–2004). Paul Sorvino was hired to portray Maitre Steinfeld, leveraging his authentic presence from Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990). The production faced challenges in securing international talent, including Mónica Cruz—sister of Penélope Cruz—for a supporting role as Detective Rosa Mulero. For the film's China-set elements, Asian actors like Tommy Wong were cast to represent characters authentically without resorting to stereotypes. Casting wrapped in late 2006, with DMX's producer involvement helping to attract these established names.^[8]

Filming

Principal photography for Last Hour was conducted in multiple international locations, including Beijing and other areas in China, as well as Canada, France, and Paris, to suit the story's setting of an isolated abandoned house.^[13] The cinematography was led by Ting-Wo Kwong, who handled the visual capture during principal photography.^[8] The production utilized a low-budget approach, relying on practical stunts and minimal effects for its action sequences, as indicated by the involvement of small-scale production companies like Black Hangar Studios and Creation Film and Television. Editing by Vincent Zuffranieri contributed to the final 95-minute runtime, focusing on pacing the suspenseful narrative through cuts that trimmed extended scenes.^[8]^[1] The score, composed by DMX with additional contributions from Alain Mouysset, incorporated hip-hop elements to enhance the film's tension, though composed post-filming.^[8]

Release

Distribution

Last Hour was released directly to DVD in the United States on April 15, 2008.^[1] Code Black Entertainment handled North American distribution rights, while international sales were limited owing to the film's direct-to-video status.^[3] The release strategy positioned the film for urban and action audiences, capitalizing on DMX's established fanbase, with no theatrical rollout in favor of video-on-demand and rental channels.^[14] It carried an MPAA R rating for violence, language, and drug content, and was promoted as a taut crime thriller bolstered by cameos from notable actors like David Carradine and Michael Madsen.^[15] Globally, the film saw restricted availability, including a DVD premiere in Japan on June 5, 2009, and limited European distribution such as a theatrical run in France via Pathé, with marketing in Asia highlighting its Beijing filming locations to generate regional curiosity.^[16]^[17] The production's modest budget contributed to its choice of a non-theatrical rollout.^[9]

Home media

The film Last Hour was released on DVD in the United States on April 15, 2008, distributed by Code Black Entertainment in a standard edition featuring a widescreen format and English audio, with a runtime of 95 minutes.^[3]^[1] The release included basic supplementary materials such as cast interviews and the theatrical trailer, though no extensive special features were highlighted in promotional listings.^[18] No Blu-ray edition was produced or released, consistent with the film's low-budget straight-to-DVD production model.^[1] In subsequent years, particularly post-2010, the movie became available for digital streaming on platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, and The Roku Channel, broadening access beyond physical media. As of November 2025, it remains available on these platforms.^[1]^[19]^[20] Internationally, DVD variants were issued in Europe, such as a German edition titled Countdown zur Hölle with subtitles, and UK imports of the Region 1 disc, though these did not include major re-releases or collector's editions.^[21]^[22] Video sales were modest, driven primarily by recognition of the cast including DMX and Michael Madsen, but the title did not achieve notable chart performance or widespread physical distribution longevity before the rise of streaming options revived its availability.^[23]

Reception

Critical response

The film Last Hour garnered limited critical attention following its straight-to-DVD release in 2008, reflecting its status as a low-budget production with minimal promotional push. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has no Tomatometer score due to the absence of professional reviews, underscoring the scarcity of coverage from major outlets.^[9] The few available critiques from independent sources panned the film's script and direction as derivative and poorly paced, with one reviewer describing the narrative as jumbled and possibly incomplete, marked by excessive scene jumps and unclear motivations. Performances were broadly criticized as atrocious, though David Carradine's role was noted as relatively competent amid the ensemble's shortcomings. Thematic efforts at psychological depth faltered through clichéd twists and weak dialogue.^[24] DMX's portrayal received some isolated praise for its intensity in independent commentary, contrasting the overall shaky camerawork and subpar production quality.^[6] The film earned no major awards or festival nominations.

Audience response

The film Last Hour has garnered a predominantly negative audience response, reflected in its IMDb rating of 2.9 out of 10 based on 10,881 user votes (as of November 2025).^[1] Viewers frequently praise elements like the action sequences, which some describe as decent or engaging, and DMX's performance, noted for its energy and reasonable delivery despite the surrounding flaws.^[25] Common criticisms center on technical and narrative shortcomings, including poor audio quality that evokes low-budget productions, underdeveloped characters lacking depth, and an abrupt, unfulfilling ending that fails to resolve the plot coherently. Many users highlight the corny dialogue, amateurish acting from the ensemble, and overall substandard direction, contributing to a sense of boredom or frustration.^[25] On platforms like Letterboxd, user logs and short reviews echo these sentiments, with some appreciating the novelty of DMX's role alongside unexpected cast members like David Carradine, and isolated positives for fight scenes, though the average reception remains low around 3 out of 5 stars from limited entries.^[6] While no widespread cult following has emerged, the film's obscurity as a 2000s straight-to-video release limits broader discussions, and it has an audience score of 11% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 250+ verified ratings (as of November 2025).^[9] Following DMX's death in April 2021, streams of his music catalog surged by 928%, indicating renewed interest in his work, though no comparable uptick in viewership or rentals for Last Hour has been documented.^[26]