Panic Fest 2025: Stalkers (2025) Review

Director: Paul Thomas

Notable Cast: Olivia Stadler, Scarlett DiCaro, Hannah Mae Beatty, Allisha Pelletier, Same Wexler, Abbas Wahab, Marlo Aquilina

 

Far be it from me to have too many expectations going into a film festival, but I certainly did not expect what I got from Stalkers. On paper, Stalkers sounds like the classic slasher. Littered with exploitative elements, like having the lead character be a porn star, and then powering its horror elements with a whodunnit style narrative, the film felt like it was going to be cheesy, slashery entertaining through and through. Yet, as Stalkers plays out, it often rejects leaning into any exploitation elements and aims for something far more dramatic and, dare I say, better, for its material. 

 

Stalkers has something to say with its themes within the slasher premise, and never truly embraces the genre until its final act. It’s a surprisingly reflective and character-driven drama at its heart that just so happens to end up being a slasher. It’s perhaps one of the biggest surprises at Panic Fest 2025 already. 

 

Poetic Horror Justice: The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959) Review

Director: Kenji Misumi

Notable Cast: Kazuo Hasegawa, Yasuko Nakada, Yoko Uraji, Mieko Kondo, Joji Tsurumi, Naritoshi Hayashi, Hideo Takamatsu

 

Although the story that The Ghost of Yotsuya is based on has been around for what feels like since the beginning of time, of which there is a nice little documentary on that subject on the Radiance release of this film, it’s this 1959 version that really perked my interested. Why? What could make this version stand out against the slew of other adaptions? Director Kenji Misumi. The notable director had crafted some of the greatest samurai and action films of all time - working on notable franchises like Lone Wolf and Cub, Zatoichi, and Sleepy Eyes of Death just to name some of the biggest ones - but he rarely dabbled in the horror realm.

Thus, I needed to add Radiance’s Daiei Gothic box set to my collection, which featured this adaption of The Ghost of Yotsuya. It was worth it, too, because this version is a lush and often haunting film, complete with a wild third act, an impressive build of tension, and some gorgeous visuals to go with it. Although, at times, this feels like Misumi at some of his most restrained, it’s such a well-crafted film that showcases his understanding of build and atmosphere that any Japanese horror fan will want to watch it. 

 

Objection Sustained: The Prosecutor (2025) Review

Director: Donnie Yen

Notable Cast: Donnie Yen, Julian Cheung Chi Lam, Michael Hui, Francis Ng Chun Yu, Cheung Tin Fu

 

Although Donnie Yen has been the face of Hong Kong cinema since his career went astronomical with the Ip Man franchise, his return to the director’s chair with 2023’s Sakra elevated him to the next level. While the wuxia film was met with many mixed reactions from fans (I felt the film was a massively underrated modern classic, but I digress), it created many new avenues for the action icon to follow for the next part of his career.

The Prosecutor, his directorial follow-up and a wholly different action film than its predecessor, proves that not only does Donnie Yen have the goods as an action star at 60 years old, but his directorial career is very, very bright. Sporting a mixture of dramatic legal thrills and vicious action beatdowns, The Prosecutor balances Yen’s penchant for punching someone as hard as a shotgun blast with a more mature dramatic angle. The modern sensibilities will appeal to a larger demographic than Sakra, particularly those who love Yen’s cops n’ robbers flicks like Raging Fire, Flashpoint, or SPL. Yeah, that’s absolutely a great thing. Case dismissed. 

 

His Name is Ahn Jung-geun: Harbin (2024) Review

Director: Woo Min-ho

Notable Cast: Hyun Bin, Park Jeong-min, Jeon Yeo-been, Jo Woo-jin, Lee Dong-wook

History is an infinite source of inspiration to the culture at large, shaping civilizations into what they are today; the influence of the past is something that shapes current-day mindsets the world over. South Korea has had a very tumultuous and challenging past like many other nations, and so it is no surprise that various mediums would look back to inspire their own telling of stories from yesteryear. Film is a massive avenue for retelling slices of history, and of course, just like the figureheads explored in these works or the very events being depicted within them, there always comes talks of propaganda or skewing facts to fit personal or political narratives. 

To say that a film, such as Harbin, is subject to finding itself outside of historians or politically fueled conversations from being had would be foolish, but to say that a film with a subject matter like this cannot be entertaining would also be to discredit a film as such. I went into this one with certain expectations, given that I am a huge fan of director Woo Min-ho and his previous works. In fact, his work prior to this, The Man Standing Next, also takes a piece of political history, albeit more modern than the events that unfolded in Harbin station that fateful day; suffice to say, director Woo has really become one who has a knack for telling these stories through cinema. So, how does this stack up to Woo Min-ho's previous works? Honestly, I think it fairs quite well, and of course, with these types of movies in general, I think the mileage will vary from person to person.

The Exorcism of Cha So-mi: Devils Stay (2024) Review

Director: Hyun Moon-Seop

Notable Cast: Park Shin-Yang, Lee Min-Ki, Lee Re

Within the last year or two, Korean cinema has seen a small boom of quality horror films, with the likes of Sleep, Metamorphosis, and even this year's standout in genre, Exhuma, all leaping to mind. Needless to say, quality fluctuates for the genre in South Korea, just as it does with any other country, but horror seems to be making a big comeback that we haven't seen from the region since the early 2000s, and I'm here for it. This year alone, I've seen quite a few Korean horror films, and I've enjoyed my time with each to varying degrees, but where does the latest religious-based themed horror Devils Stay land? Well, I'd say it is a good time, but it certainly has a bit of a bumpy presentation overall as a film, which I hope to express my thoughts on here.

The Action We Knee-d: Striking Rescue (2024) Review

Director: Cheng Siyi

Notable Cast: Tony Jaa, Chen Duo-Yi, Eason Hung, Xing Yu, Philip Keung Ho-Man, Yu Bolin, Mao Fan

 

Although Tony Jaa has seen his fair share of little cameos or more minor secondary roles throughout the years, lately, he’s taken chiefly roles as part of an ensemble or as a second lead to someone else. Were the days of a Tony Jaa lead film already over?

Well, if there’s any industry that can revitalize a career in action with minimal risk and maximum reward, it’s the damn Chinese streaming industry. So, in a strange twist of fate, it’s not flirting with Hollywood that would reignite Jaa’s leading man career, but it’s a straight-to-streaming action flick like Striking Rescue. Not that this one is going to find a ton of new fans, but it’s definitely going to light the fire for a lot of action fans with its blend of baseline action drama, brutal action beatdowns, and a very shouty, darkened performance by our leading hero, the hero of elbows and knees. Striking Rescue is the kind of film his fan base has been asking for - light on plot, heavy on beatdowns.

Brick by Brick: Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024) Review

Director: Soi Cheang

Notable Cast: Raymond Lam, Louis Koo, Terrance Lau, Tony Wu, German Cheung, Philip Ng, Richie Jen, Sammo Hung, Kenny Wong Tak-Ban, Aaron Kwok, Fish Liew

 

Director Soi Cheang is on a roll.

After he dropped the long-awaited sequel SPL2: A Time for Consequences almost 10 years ago, renamed Killzone 2 for its US release, Soi Cheang took a wild detour to film two Monkey King movies. Although those films are entertaining, one must wonder if Soi Cheang’s career would be completely derailed by massive blockbuster fantasy.

Yet, he pulled a 180 from that for two films in a row by dropping the award-winning thrillers Limbo and Mad Fate over the last couple of years. It’s a shift that truly indicates just how talented he is as a director. Not only did he direct one of the best modern Hong Kong action films with SPL2, but Limbo was one of the best neo-noirs of recent memory. 

 

Deck The Halls... in Blood and Guts: Terrifier 3 (2024) Review

Directed by: Damien Leone

Notable Cast: David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, Antonella Rose, Elliot Fullam, Samantha Scaffidi, Margaret Anne, Bryce Johnson, Alexa Blair Robertson

The slasher sub-genre of horror is something I've been a huge fan of since morbid curiosity took over as a young boy, sneaking off to my cousin's house to watch the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street films; I've always enjoyed a good on-screen massacre. What that says about me, who knows, but I do know what I like it and I feel over the decades, this avenue of horror has had many ups and downs. Here in this point in time, Damien Leone and friends are really bringing out the goods with his demented and twisted take on the genre in the form of the Terrifier films. 

I have been digging these since the beginning. I did miss out on All Hallows' Eve, but many Art fans have been visiting those retroactively, and for good reason. Art the Clown, everyone's favorite demonic circus act, has launched himself into the stratosphere alongside the likes of any of the aforementioned horror series' icons. David Howard Thornton, who dons Art's tiny hat, clearly pours his heart and soul (I know, I know) into every frame he is in, and his charismatic killer clown is at a series best here in Terrifier 3, where he takes our good friends from the second film, and give them a nice little Christmas break. Here's to the holidays.

Bet on Odd: Oddity (2024) Review

Director: Damian Mc Carthy

Notable Cast: Carolyn Bracken, Gwilym Lee, Tadhg Murphy, Caroline Menton, Jonathan French, Steve Wall, Joe Rooney

 

Oddity is a film chock full of elements that could easily go wrong. Despite a solid trailer and the backing of both Shudder and IFC Films to validate its content, it’s just a film filled to the brim with off-kilter aspects that, in the wrong hands, could immediately take the film deep into the uncanny valley. 

 

There are twins, a giant wooden monster doll, a psychic that collects haunted objects, and one of the main characters is the doctor at a mental illness facility. On paper, those could quickly go awry. I’ve seen a handful of movies with just one of those things that careen a film off the cliff and straight into unintentional comedy. I suppose that’s to be expected with a title like Oddity.

 

Yet, through and through, writer and director Damian Mc Carthy manages to breeze through the uncanny valley and straight into a film showcasing what it means to ‘thread the needle.’ Oddity is slathered in wild jump scares and terrifying tension. Its limited budget is a benefit in crafting what might translate to a theatrical stage very efficiently as a chamber horror, and the film creeps so cleverly into one’s psyche that it lingers well after the credits roll. Not unlike Mc Carthy’s previous film, Caveat. 

 

Dodging Bullets: Take Cover (2024) Review

Director: Nick McKinless

Notable Cast: Scott Adkins, Alice Eve, Jack Parr, Billy Clements, Mădălina Bellariu Ion, Renars Latkovskis, Nik Coleman, Alba De Torrebruna

 

Take Cover is simple, which I appreciate wholeheartedly. While theatrical action films continue to try to bring flocks of people to the theater with spectacle, the Scott Adkins vehicle continues to run on simple ideas, strong action execution, and just enough thoughtful drama to build a foundation. That's it. That's all. 

 

Take Cover is just that. Less is more. 

 

The concept? Two mercenaries, a sniper (Adkins) and his spotter (Parr), are trapped in a massive hotel room by another sniper and a handful of baddies waiting to crush them if they try to leave. The simplicity breeds creativity, and Take Cover can take advantage of it. Yes, the film does start outside the room, showcasing a job that goes sideways, the chemistry between the two men as partners, and their abilities as fighters, shooters, and escape artists, but really, it's all set up to The Room. Once it gets there, despite a few convenient flaws of logic in the script to keep them there, the film can start boiling tension and working its fun dynamics as an action flick.