Category Archives: Movie review

Bloody Axe Wound (2025) – A Slasher with Sharp Ideas but a Blunt Edge

17 Monday Mar 2025

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Shudder’s latest exclusive, Bloody Axe Wound, comes swinging with a promising concept—mixing slasher horror with media satire—but ultimately stumbles in execution. Set in the quiet yet bloodstained town of Clover Falls, the film follows Abbie Bladecut (Sari Arambulo), a teenager struggling with the weight of her family’s gruesome legacy. Her father, Roger Bladecut (Billy Burke), has turned murder into a business, capturing real-life killings and distributing them to eager viewers. But as Abbie begins questioning the family trade, she’s forced to decide whether to embrace the cycle of carnage or carve out her own path.

At its best, Bloody Axe Wound delivers a wickedly fun premise, bolstered by strong performances. Arambulo shines as Abbie, balancing vulnerability and determination, while Molly Brown (Dexter: Original Sin) brings a sharp edge as her friend Sam Crane. Billy Burke’s Roger exudes a sleazy charisma, making his character’s justifications for his twisted business both unsettling and eerily believable. There’s also a noteworthy cameo from Jeffrey Dean Morgan, whose presence adds some weight to the film, even if his role is fleeting.

However, despite its engaging setup, the film begins to veer off course as it struggles to sustain its own momentum. The biggest issue lies in its execution of the central premise—who exactly is filming these supposed “real” murder videos? The film flirts with the idea of voyeuristic horror and true crime obsession but never fully commits to exploring the logistics of its own mythology. Instead, it throws in a few late-game twists that feel more like distractions than revelations.

Director Matthew John Lawrence (Uncle Peckerhead) crafts some effectively gory set pieces, but the film’s tone wavers between biting satire and straight-up slasher mayhem, never fully committing to either. 

The Prognosis:

When it works, Bloody Axe Wound is an enjoyably grim ride with moments of inspired horror. When it falters, it leaves you questioning the gaps in its own logic. Still, there’s enough blood-soaked fun to make it worth a watch—just don’t expect it to leave a lasting mark.

  • Saul Muerte

Silent Zone – A Surprisingly Effective Action Horror Thriller

11 Tuesday Mar 2025

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In a genre often filled with predictable scares and uninspired post-apocalyptic settings, Silent Zone manages to stand out as a surprisingly engaging action horror film. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it does well to hold your attention thanks to a gripping premise, solid pacing, and some commendable performances from its cast.

Set years after a devastating outbreak that has turned the world into a desolate wasteland, the film follows survivors Cassius and Abigail, who have managed to stay alive by sticking together. Their fragile sense of safety is thrown into chaos when they encounter a pregnant woman, forcing them to risk everything on a dangerous journey to find a secure refuge. As tensions rise and threats emerge from both the mutated infected and desperate survivors, Silent Zone builds tension effectively, never letting its characters—or the audience—feel truly safe.

The film’s biggest strength lies in its performances. While action horror can sometimes suffer from thinly written characters, the central trio here delivers enough emotional depth to make their struggle compelling. The cinematography also does an admirable job of capturing the bleak, unforgiving world they inhabit, and the action sequences are staged with enough energy to keep things engaging without descending into chaos.

While Silent Zone doesn’t break new ground in the post-apocalyptic horror subgenre, it delivers enough suspense, emotion, and well-crafted action to make it worth a watch. If you’re in the mood for a tense survival thriller with a strong human core, this one is worth checking out.

SILENT ZONE (2025) will be Available on DVD & Digital in Australia & New Zealand from MARCH 12th.

  • Saul Muerte

Inside Man (2025): A Stylish but Uneven Dive into the Ruthless World of Roy DeMeo

04 Tuesday Mar 2025

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Crime dramas based on true events often walk a fine line between gripping realism and cinematic exaggeration. Inside Man, directed by Danny A. Abeckaser, leans into this challenge with a gritty portrayal of undercover work in 1980s New York. Emile Hirsch leads the film as a troubled detective whose attempt at redemption drags him deep into the underbelly of the mob, where survival means losing himself in the very world he’s trying to dismantle.

Hirsch, known for his intense performances in Into the Wild and Lone Survivor, delivers a solid turn as a cop struggling with his identity while infiltrating the DeMeo crew—one of the most feared factions of the era. His internal conflict is the film’s strongest element, though at times, the script doesn’t allow for deeper psychological exploration. Lucy Hale adds some emotional weight to the story, though her role feels underdeveloped, while Robert Davi and Jack Cannavale bring a welcome menace to their mobster personas.

Abeckaser, who has experience with crime dramas (Mob Town), crafts an authentic 1980s New York atmosphere, full of dimly lit bars, smoky back rooms, and bursts of brutal violence. However, while the film captures the aesthetic well, it sometimes struggles with pacing, feeling more like a series of key moments rather than a fully cohesive narrative. The tension builds effectively, but some scenes drag, making the film feel longer than its runtime.

The Prognosis:

For crime thriller enthusiasts, Inside Man offers a serviceable look at the high-risk world of undercover police work. It doesn’t break new ground, but the strong performances and stylish execution make it worth a watch, especially for fans of mob dramas.

Inside Man will be available on DVD & Digital, including Apple TV, Prime Video, and Google Play from March 5, 2025, in Australia & New Zealand.

  • Saul Muerte

The Monkey (2025) – A Misfire That Claps to Its Own Beat

01 Saturday Mar 2025

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Osgood Perkins has built a reputation for moody, atmospheric horror (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House), crafting eerie slow burns that settle under your skin. So it’s baffling that his adaptation of Stephen King’s The Monkey swings so wildly in the opposite direction, embracing an oddly comedic tone that is both its saving grace and its Achilles’ heel.

The film follows twin brothers who, after discovering a cursed wind-up monkey, become entangled in a series of grotesque and improbable deaths. Decades later, the sinister toy resurfaces, forcing the now-estranged siblings to confront their past—and the murderous primate—before its deadly rhythm consumes them completely.

As someone who was deeply impacted by King’s short story during my formative years, this adaptation feels like a tonal misstep. While Perkins injects moments of dry, almost absurd humour that occasionally land (I’ll admit, I chuckled more than once), the film never fully commits to either horror or comedy, leaving it feeling strangely weightless. The sense of dread that should accompany a tale about an unrelenting, supernatural force is missing, replaced with an offbeat energy that doesn’t quite fit.

Visually, The Monkey does retain some of Perkins’ signature flair. There are pockets of eerie imagery, particularly when the toy is in motion, its drum banging in ominous slow motion as its glassy eyes seem to bore into the characters’ souls. However, the film’s pacing stumbles between moody horror and slapstick absurdity, undercutting its tension just as it starts to build. Instead of letting the horror breathe, it often pivots to a joke or exaggerated reaction, as if second-guessing its own scares.

The performances do their best to sell the concept, with the lead actors committing to the madness, but there’s a disjointedness to the storytelling that prevents any real emotional weight from forming. Without a stronger anchor—whether it be a grounded sense of familial trauma or a truly nightmarish atmosphere—the film lacks the staying power of both Perkins’ previous work and King’s original story.

With The Monkey, Perkins seems to be playing against type, but instead of reinventing the demonic toy subgenre, he fumbles it. The film claps along to its own beat, but much like the monkey itself, the rhythm grows tiresome—thumping away long after the terror has worn off.

  • Saul Muerte

Heart Eyes (2025) – A Charming Yet Predictable Slasher

21 Friday Feb 2025

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Josh Ruben’s Heart Eyes (2025) continues the director’s increasing track record of blending horror with sharp comedic sensibilities. With a strong cast featuring Olivia Hoult, Mason Gooding, Jordana Brewster, and Devon Sawa, the film injects energy into a genre that thrives on familiar tropes but struggles to fully subvert them.

The film follows two co-workers working late on Valentine’s Day who find themselves mistaken for a couple by the elusive “Heart Eyes Killer.” What should have been a routine night of overtime turns into a desperate struggle for survival as they attempt to outwit a murderer with a romantic vendetta. Ruben, alongside the influence of Christopher Landon, crafts a thrilling yet darkly comedic atmosphere, elevating the film above standard slasher fare.

One of Heart Eyes’ strongest assets is its cast. Olivia Hoult and Mason Gooding deliver an engaging dynamic, their chemistry adding an element of screwball charm reminiscent of classic comedies like His Girl Friday, which fittingly plays at the local drive-in. Jordana Brewster and Devon Sawa add gravitas, balancing the film’s mix of humour and suspense. Each actor brings a spark that keeps the film’s momentum going, even when the script leans into predictability.

When it comes to slasher sequences, Heart Eyes delivers with some truly creative and intense set pieces. Ruben ensures that the kills are visually engaging and suspensefully executed, but the film often treads a fine line between homage and predictability. While it never loses its charm, seasoned horror fans may find the plot’s trajectory a little too easy to anticipate.

The Prognosis:

Heart Eyes is a fun, well-acted, and stylish slasher that balances humour and horror with flair. The chemistry of its leads and its nods to classic cinema add a refreshing touch, but it ultimately doesn’t push the boundaries of the genre enough to be truly groundbreaking. Nevertheless, it’s a solid entry in Josh Ruben’s growing filmography and a Valentine’s Day horror treat worth watching.

  • Saul Muerte

The Gorge (2025) – A Visually Striking Yet Uneven Descent

16 Sunday Feb 2025

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Scott Derrickson’s The Gorge (2025) is a film brimming with promise, a high-concept action thriller that attempts to blend existential depth with pulse-pounding survival horror. Known for his ability to balance terror and emotion (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, Doctor Strange), Derrickson crafts an ambitious narrative, but despite its stunning visual execution and compelling leads, the film struggles to fully immerse the audience before it reaches its true stakes.

Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy bring a welcome chemistry to the screen, embodying two highly trained operatives assigned to opposite sides of a seemingly insurmountable gorge. Their dynamic is at the heart of the film, offering a blend of tension and reluctant camaraderie that gradually builds into something more profound. Teller’s rugged intensity contrasts well with Taylor-Joy’s ethereal yet steely resolve, making their interactions compelling even when the story falters.

The film’s core themes—uncertainty, forced isolation, and the necessity of connection—are its most intriguing elements. The gorge itself serves as both a physical and metaphorical chasm, a representation of the vast emotional and ideological distances that separate us. Derrickson is no stranger to exploring the psychological strains of confinement and survival, and The Gorge is at its best when it leans into this existential unease. The idea that we must plunge into the abyss together to find true connection is a powerful one, but the film often stumbles in delivering this emotional payoff.

The emergence of the mysterious evil lurking below should serve as the catalyst for a gripping second half, yet the film lingers too long on its setup. While tension builds effectively, the story meanders in its attempt to establish a connection between the leads, losing narrative momentum before the stakes fully materialise. By the time the horror takes centre stage, the audience’s investment feels slightly strained, making the ultimate conflict feel less urgent than it should.

The Prognosis:

Derrickson’s visual craftsmanship and the undeniable chemistry between Teller and Taylor-Joy elevate The Gorge, making it an intriguing but flawed experience. Its themes of human connection and survival resonate, yet the film struggles under the weight of its own philosophical ambitions, delaying the inevitable descent into true terror. By the time the audience is fully engaged, it feels as though the film has only just begun to reveal its true depths. A fascinating misstep, but a misstep nonetheless.

  • Saul Muerte

The Gorge is available to stream on AppleTV+

Little Bites (2025) – A Slow Burn That Barely Smolders

16 Sunday Feb 2025

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Premiering exclusively on Shudder and AMC+, Little Bites is the latest horror offering from director Spider One, known for his work on Allegoria. This time, he crafts a slow-burn psychological horror that takes its time unraveling its mysteries—perhaps too much time. While the film eventually delivers a striking conclusion, the road to get there is uneven, relying on atmosphere and suggestion rather than sustained tension or narrative drive.

At the heart of the film is Krsy Fox, who also edited the feature. She delivers a subdued but emotionally raw performance as a single mother grappling with an unseen force, her weary expressions and hushed delivery emphasising the toll of her situation. The film leans heavily on her ability to carry the story, and while she does an admirable job, the script doesn’t always give her enough to work with. For much of the runtime, she feels trapped in a cycle of quiet suffering, with little forward momentum until the film’s final stretch. When she finally gets the chance to break free in the climax, she commands the screen—but by then, some viewers may have already checked out.

One of Little Bites‘ most notable draws is the inclusion of horror icons Barbara Crampton and Heather Langenkamp. Unfortunately, their roles are brief, more like cameo appearances than substantial contributions to the narrative. While their presence adds credibility and a nostalgic thrill for genre fans, it’s ultimately underutilised, leaving the film feeling like a missed opportunity to fully embrace its horror lineage.

Visually, the film is draped in a bleak, muted aesthetic, reinforcing the protagonist’s isolation and dread. Spider One’s direction is methodical, favoring slow, creeping tension over jump scares or overt horror spectacle. While this approach has the potential to be effective, the film struggles with pacing, often lingering on scenes that don’t add much beyond mood-setting. The ambiguity of the horror elements is intriguing at first but becomes frustrating as the film continues to withhold key developments for too long.

Despite these flaws, Little Bites does have its moments, particularly in its final act. The slow burn finally ignites into something far more compelling, delivering a climax that is both visceral and visually impactful. It’s a glimpse of what the film could have been had it maintained that level of engagement throughout.

The Prognosis:

Ultimately, Little Bites is a film that asks for patience—perhaps too much. While Krsy Fox gives a solid performance and the conclusion lands with force, the journey to get there is underwhelming. For those who appreciate methodical psychological horror, there’s something to admire here, but for most, the film’s lethargic pace and lack of urgency may leave them craving something with more bite.

  • Saul Muerte

Little Bites will be streaming on Shudder from Fri 21st Feb.

The Dead Thing (2025) – A Haunting Descent into Obsession and the Unknown

09 Sunday Feb 2025

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Shudder’s latest original, The Dead Thing, is a slow-burning, atmospheric descent into grief, trauma, and something even more unearthly. Directed with a steady, unsettling hand, this supernatural thriller refuses to play by conventional horror rules, opting instead for a creeping dread..

At the heart of the film is Alex (Blu Hunt, The New Mutants), a young woman adrift in a sea of meaningless encounters, numbed by her own detachment from the world. When a seemingly random dating app match leads her to Kyle (Ben Smith-Petersen, Mad Max: Fury Road), their connection is instant, electric—yet fleeting. The morning after, Kyle vanishes without a trace, leaving behind an aching absence that sends Alex spiraling into a desperate search for answers. What she uncovers is a chilling revelation that warps the boundaries of reality, dragging her into an inescapable cycle of obsession, dependence, and something far darker than she could have imagined.

Blu Hunt delivers a powerhouse performance, embodying Alex’s hollowed-out existence with eerie precision. Her portrayal of emotional disconnection makes her eventual unraveling all the more compelling, as she clings to Kyle in a feverish attempt to grasp at something—anything—real. The film’s hypnotic pacing mirrors her descent, pulling the viewer into a suffocating atmosphere of existential dread.

What sets The Dead Thing apart is its layered exploration of trauma, not just in the psychological sense, but in the way it fractures time, memory, and even space. The film flirts with the astrophysical, hinting at horrors that exist beyond human perception, yet tethered to the deeply personal. It’s an unnerving blend of body horror and cosmic unease, where love and terror become indistinguishable.

Director Elric Kane crafts a film that rewards patience. Those expecting conventional horror beats may find themselves frustrated, but for those willing to embrace its methodical pacing and brooding atmosphere, The Dead Thing delivers a uniquely unsettling experience. With haunting imagery, a skin-crawling score, and a gut-punch of an ending, it cements itself as one of Shudder’s most memorable releases in recent years.

The Prognosis:

A terrifying meditation on trauma and the lengths we go to feel alive again, The Dead Thing lingers like a half-remembered nightmare—one you might not want to wake up from.

  • Saul Muerte

The Dead Thing will stream on Shudder from Fri 14th Feb.

Welcome (2025) – A Tense, Thought-Provoking Thriller That Finds Strength in Shades of Grey

08 Saturday Feb 2025

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Jevon Boreland’s Welcome arrives as a psychological thriller that thrives on ambiguity, moral complexity, and unsettling tension. While its modest budget is apparent at times, strong performances, well-crafted cinematography, and an antagonist with unexpected depth elevate the experience beyond the usual home-invasion fare.

The film follows expectant parents Darren (Emidio Lopes) and Sasha (Shailene Garnett), who set out for a romantic getaway in the countryside, only to find their retreat disrupted by their overly attentive landlord Eric (Emmanuel Kabongo) and his unsettling wife Millie (Brianna Goldie). What begins as an awkward intrusion soon spirals into something far more sinister, as paranoia and hidden motives turn their weekend into a nightmare.

Rather than presenting a clear-cut hero-villain dynamic, Welcome plays in murky waters, forcing viewers to question not just Eric’s unsettling presence but also the past decisions of Darren and Sasha. The film leans into psychological horror more than outright terror, making its tension feel more cerebral than visceral.

Boreland and his team craft a tightly wound narrative that benefits from strong character work, a script that keeps you guessing, and moments of quiet, creeping dread. The cinematography enhances the sense of isolation, giving the film an eerie beauty that contrasts with its darker themes. Kabongo, in particular, delivers a performance that straddles menace and sympathy, making Eric one of the more compelling antagonists in recent genre fare.

However, Welcome doesn’t fully capitalise on its tension. The slow build is effective, but some stretches of the film feel drawn out, and when things finally escalate, the payoff is more unsettling than shocking. Additionally, while the script is solid, certain character decisions feel forced, occasionally stretching plausibility.

The Prognosis:

Welcome is a solid psychological thriller that asks unsettling questions about morality, past choices, and the blurred lines between villainy and victimhood. While its pacing and budget limitations hold it back from greatness, the film’s strong performances and commitment to ambiguity make it a worthy entry in the genre. If you enjoy thrillers that leave you pondering. Welcome is worth a visit.

  • Saul Muerte

Welcome is available to stream on demand from Feb 11 through Breaking Glass Pictures.

Monster Summer (2025) – A Nostalgic but Uneven Family Horror Adventure

06 Thursday Feb 2025

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Somewhere between Goosebumps and The Goonies, Monster Summer tries to capture that elusive blend of childhood adventure, light horror, and 80s-style camaraderie. Directed by David Henrie, the film delivers a charming, if slightly uneven, ride through the thrills of a summer setting gone awry, boosted by a cast that lends it more weight than expected.

The story follows Noah (Mason Thames) and his friends as they uncover a supernatural force disrupting their island’s summer festivities. With the help of a retired detective (Mel Gibson, in a gruff but entertaining role), they set off on a quest filled with eerie encounters and mild scares. Lorraine Bracco adds a welcome presence to the ensemble, grounding the film’s more fantastical elements with her no-nonsense delivery.

The biggest strength of Monster Summer lies in its cast. Thames continues to impress as a young lead, while Gibson and Bracco bring a sense of old-school gravitas. The film also leans into nostalgia, evoking the spirit of classic kids-on-a-mission films, and it largely succeeds in crafting an adventure that feels accessible for younger audiences while still engaging for older viewers.

However, Monster Summer struggles with pacing. The first half builds up well, but the stakes never quite reach the intensity needed to make the adventure feel truly urgent. The mystery surrounding the “monster” is intriguing but ultimately plays it too safe, leaving the film feeling more like a fun diversion than a truly memorable entry in the genre.

The Prognosis:

Monster Summer is a light, enjoyable ride that taps into the nostalgic formula of kid-led horror adventures. It doesn’t break new ground, and some of its tension feels undercooked, but strong performances and a charming atmosphere make it worth a watch—especially for families looking for an entry-level horror experience.

  • Saul Muerte