Monthly Archives: September 2026

Marshmallow

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Vampire Owl: We have been the people of the marshes.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that there is no talk about vampires of the marshes in this movie.

Vampire Owl: Aren’t we vampires part of everything we meet?

Vampire Bat: You mean to say that vampires are like Ulysses.

Vampire Owl: Yes, we strive, seek and find while never yielding.

Vampire Bat: There is nothing left for the vampires to find in this world.

Vampire Owl: There have not been enough centuries to learn the world.

Vampire Bat: Well, it is enough to understand our realm well.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein talks about different realms at the same time.

Vampire Bat: There is nothing more ridiculous than Mr. Frankenstein’s researches.

[Gets a chilli porotta and three cups of Ooty tea].

What is the movie about? :: Morgan (Kue Lawrence) is a young and lonely child who has regular nightmares which never seems to stop, and he also remains a kid who has almost no friends at all in the neighborhood or the education institution where he studies. Despite his grandfather Rot (Corbin Bernsen) passing away, his parents decide to send him to a summer camp in which they had already booked a place for him. There he meets the highly supportive and friendly young woman Rachel (Giorgia Whigham) who leads the camp and also welcomes Morgan with a happy face and promise of full support during the programme. Two other employees of the camp Kazswar (Pierson Fodé) and Laurie (Samantha Neyland Trumbo) are comparatively mean to the kids, and it is revealed that they are secretly having a sexual affair at nights in one of the selected cabins in the woods. Collins (Paul Soter) oversees things while Franklin (Maxwell Whittington-Cooper) maintains a friendly approach to kids and provides them with the much-needed emotional support.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Morgan ends up sharing the room with the son of his father’s friend CJ (Sutton Johnson), who remains mean to him, and even pushes him into the river almost having him drowned. Another boy Raj (Winston Vengapally) who questions him is also brutally beaten up by him until Rachel and Collins manage to pull him back. Morgan is consoled by his newfound friends Pilar (Kai Cech), Dirk (Max Malas), Caroline (Jordyn Raya James) and Sam (Dylan Friedman) who are also tired of CJ’s attitude. Morgan finds a masked man in a strange clothing at night and remembers that the people-in-charge at the camp had told them a spooky story about a doctor who kidnaps children who stay in their bunks at night and performs terrifying experiments on them in the basement of his building, and the camp itself was built over his house and clinic. He tries to escape, but realizes that the man has full control over the area, and some of the youth who controls the camp also seems to be helping the man. Can the children escape from the situation or atleast survive until dawn?

The defence of Marshmallow :: Instead of going through the standard campfire slasher tropes, the movie uses nostalgia and familiar setups to create a world which surprisingly diverts and brings a twist which is rather unexpected – the deviation from the original slasher idea to which the setup was already built, brings a science fiction side to the whole thing and has us thinking and hoping for a sequel which would establish a classic background. There is a fine use of classic woods, cabins and lakeside settings, a classic serial killer costume and creepy campfire folklore to build an unsettling old-style aesthetic which could keep us interesting right from the early moments in the camp; one can remember that the signs were already there. The surprises surely work and building twists on the unpredictable with red herrings acting well, has us interested. With the length only at one and half hours, the movie assures a smooth passage. With the evil spreading around here by the end of the movie, we can expect that sequel to come soon enough.

The claws of flaw :: The teenage camp cliches and teenage drama make it difficult to get going for the movie, as the initial moments can make one feel that the movie is not of that strength, and is not that interesting. The central mystery surely takes a little too much time to start and keep moving. The kids’ elements do not work that well in the beginning stages either, and it is not that easy to connect with the kids early enough. The big science fiction revelation happens a little too late too, and that feeling gets cut very soon. Despite often mentioned as a slasher, this has not much of blood and gore, and the science fiction taking over as genre only comes rather too late. You see the type of movie changing as you keep watching, and it is quite strange a feeling indeed, as you are left with no slasher to take home as science fiction seems to completely take over here. The idea that children are inherently evil is not that well-explored here, as a Lord of the Flies feeling was there to be taken, but never really takes off.

The performers of the soul :: The kids surely come up with some interesting performances, and Kue Lawrence who leads them clearly stands strong, and brings the introverted, grief-stricken 12-year-old outsider who cannot get out of trauma as he gets bullied, and the vulnerability remains believable throughout the movie. Max Malas provides some fine support to the main character and even brings some humour to the same. The friendship between the two remains interesting right from the moment they meet. The other children also add nicely despite the two boys standing out with the performances. Among the adult actors, Giorgia Whigham as Rachel does the best, and seemingly blends as if she is looking for more horror movies to add to her pocket – it is a joy to watch her around. Samantha Neyland Trumbo would suit as a scream queen in another flick, as she seems to have that special horror charm. Paul Soter as Collins remains a strong presence in the movie while Maxwell Whittington-Cooper and Pierson Fodé comes in from two sides showing different attitudes towards situations really well.

How it finishes :: The movie succeeds as a divergent slasher as it refuses to be just another usual summer camp slasher. It goes through different genres nicely and effectively, and the twist in the end makes the movie’s world even more interesting, with the scope for sequel left wide open with more science fiction being possible – the sharp turn taken by narrative comes when least expected. But it is to be said that one would still wonder if the best is explored here. The ending has some of the momentum disrupted as the revelation just happens as if it was rushed through the act. There is some world-building which comes in the end, and that is just quickly done though, and people are left waiting for the sequel to learn things more clearly. The slasher horror fans would also wonder where all the blood and gore have gone missing. Despite the initial doubts, the movie is still one interesting horror that chooses to go for the twists above everything else. This is one movie about which most us knew thing, and this is a case when the lesser known strikes.

Release date: 11 April 2025
Running time: 93 minutes
Directed by: Daniel DelPurgatorio
Starring: Kue Christian Lawrence, Max Malas, Kai Marie Cech, Giorgia Alice Whigham, Pierson Dane Fodé, Corbin Dean Bernsen, Alysia Whitney Reiner, Paul Gregory Soter, Cullen Douglas, Michael Park

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Dark

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Vampire Owl: We are the true people of the dark and stays further in darkness.

Vampire Bat: Darkness has been our ally for many centuries.

Vampire Owl: There is no light that has taken away our darkness.

Vampire Bat: We have traditionally been against the spreading of light.

Vampire Owl: Light has created more scope for evil as humans can see in it.

Vampire Bat: Yet, humans are blind to goodness and honesty.

Vampire Owl: These had ceased to be considered qualities of humans long ago.

Vampire Bat: Well, evil has always been easy to find among humans.

Vampire Owl: There is a famous quote attributed to Dr. Frankenstein related to the same.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein has no quotes relevant to us. We should only refer to Uncle Dracula for interesting and useful quotes.

[Gets a chicken curry puffs and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: Vignesh (Ajay Karthi) is a rationalist who tries to live life in his way, just arrived in Chennai from Bangalore for a few months for his work. Despite his family’s attempt to interfere, he decides not to stay with his uncle living in the city, and looks for a place to live near his office, even though he can also take the work from home option if necessary. While facing many problems due to his bachelor status, high rent and temporary nature of stay, he comes across a two-storied house offered at an unusually low rent by an elderly landlord who lives in the ground floor, Karunakaran (K. Bhagyaraj). Despite the owner’s warnings that the house has a terrible reputation due to three youngsters committing suicide there, Vignesh decides to take the option, believing in his faith in rationalism over everything else. There he also meets Karunakaran’s young daughter Priyadharshini (Anchana Nethrun) who does not show an interest in talking to him, and the father also shows no interest in introducing her as he is only bothered about having someone stay in the house for some time.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: While Karunkaran finds this three-month stay of Vignesh as an option to have people believe that there is no problem with the house, as different people had run away from the rented upper floor complaining about ghosts or some terrifying presence which haunted them. The whole neighborhood had considered the area to be a haunted one, but Karunakaran assures him that he had seen no ghosts there despite being always around, and still tells him that he can leave – the rationalist in Vignesh still decides to stay and even opt for more of work from home option. But soon Vignesh experiences sleep paralysis, terrible hallucinations and bizarre apparitions, and comes to know that one tenant there had killed the other two and set himself on fire, as he see burned people and moving shadows all around. The television gets switched on by itself and keeps playing the same song and the same books keep falling down the shelf and more follows. Now, he wonders if he remains sane, but further feels that he might in grave danger – can he escape from this terror?

The defence of Dark :: The movie focuses the most on psychological tension, and the same also helps in adding further to the overall red herrings, which finally ends in that effective twist. There is also no meaningless romance or humour added here that would have devastated the mood as we consider the fact that the movie is based on mood rather than anything else. The background score and some quick appearances of scary visuals keep us going, and keep the genre going with its classic values. The movie never really extends its stay either as less than two hours make its existence right within the time-period in which we have the attention. The premise was too good, and the first scene had really caught our attention, followed by a second level of terror, making us wonder how well the world can be determined from there. We can feel the possible eternity of horror with the early shock and scares being provided. There is that feeling when something terrifying is to jump out of darkness and create that memorable experience.

The claws of flaw :: The movie could have been more direct and the confusion that it creates in between blurring reality and thoughts, and connecting them with horror, does not work that well at all times. It often gets down to the familiar haunted-house formulas with the random strange noises, forced nightmare sequences and a tragic past which does not use the best advantage. The pace keeps varying, with some moments feeling rather strange, and often not suitable to go through the flow otherwise. The police investigation is also not given that much of a focus despite that being the source of information about the past. One still keeps wondering why a perfect closure was not given for the tale, and the ghost just seems to have been unleashed and left so to act too strange, even though there were many direct methods for the creature to unleash itself and do its work. A few better moments from the distant past could have also served well. This kind of movies should have always had the power of a detailed past, but the same is not served here – the twist also comes in a little too smooth manner.

The performers of the soul :: Ajay Karthi has us going through the horrifying journey with him, as he carries the full weight of the film. He shows a certain amount of physical and mental deterioration from the confident rationalist to a man caught in a supernatural web from where escape seems almost impossible – the change from a confident professional young man into an insomniac pushed to the edge of hopelessness and sanity is shown naturally. The pain of going from one extreme to the other is nicely reflected through his performance. Anchana Nethrun brings the surprise here, as she becomes the centre of a tragedy as much as going through the core of horror. Her performance shows some vulnerability and a certain amount of melancholy as the tragic history of the house slowly comes to light. The emotions work strongly whenever she is around, as the abiding sadness keeps creeping in. At the same time, Bhagyaraj brings the strength of a veteran older generation to the horror narrative, while serving on the realistic side. Natarajan Subramaniam brings the feeling of enquiry to the same.

How it finishes :: This happened to a surprise good horror that came out of nowhere, as we did not even know about the release of such a movie – yet, it falls short of where it should have reached in the end. The movie feels ambitious and could have been something like Demonte Colony with sequels as an expansion could serve really well, or at least move on the Pechi mode. The strong and emotional performances along with the quick shocks in the darkness almost got it there, but in the end, had it limited in scope. The pace problems with some predictability, and the limits of setting, without that much focus on the psychological side by the end, has us asking for more. The scary side surely had some fine initial push, especially with those moments in the beginning. With better focus on the world and by spreading the evil, this can still gain more through some well-made sequels. The attempt at divergence and experimentation that comes though are to be appreciated here, and other movie industries also need more attempts at horror.

Release date: 3 July 2026
Running time: 110 minutes
Directed by: Kalyan K Jegan
Starring: Ajay Karthi, Anchana Nethrun, Natarajan Subramanian, K Bhagyaraj

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Salmokji

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Vampire Owl: I once knew a smart vampire with this name.

Vampire Bat: This is not a name for any kind of vampire.

Vampire Owl: But vampires can take on any suitable name as desired.

Vampire Bat: You should know that some names are more suitable than others.

Vampire Owl: Our realm takes all names with respect.

Vampire Bat: You can’t name a vampire as a mosquito just because both drinks blood.

Vampire Owl: I do not see a connection between the two cases.

Vampire Bat: Well, vampires make the best connections.

Vampire Owl: I know that Dr. Frankenstein makes even better connections.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein lacks connection in his head. Even Uncle Dracula knows the same.

[Gets a wonder cake and three cups of black tea].

What is the movie about? :: In a digital street-view mapping company, the people-in-charge finds out that some area in the footage they are using to be blurred, right at the edge of the foggy and deserted area near Salmokji Reservoir. Facing a deadline which needs quick resolution, Producer Han Su-in (Kim Hye-yoon) volunteers to lead a field crew to the reservoir to re-shoot the coordinates and remove the glitch from their map, as her senior was not able to do so. Su-in reaches the place with a small production unit, including her junior colleague Woo Gyo-sil (Jang Da-ah) and camera crew members Director Choi (Kim Jun-han) and Assistant Director Min (Kim Young-sung). As they try to mount the 360-degree cameras to their vehicle, the weather does not seem to be that good for their work. There are also some strange optical distortions, and the vehicle’s navigation system is also not working that well. There are some strange frequencies which bring some murmurs, captured in their devices too, while some of their equipment goes missing.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Su-in’s support and former boyfriend, Yoon Gi-tae (Lee Jong-won) drives out into the countryside to deliver new equipment and help the confused team, after she made a call to the Head Office. As Gi-tae reaches Salmokji, he finds out that it is too late for a shoot as total darkness has enveloped the area, and with the crew’s communications not working, it would not be easy to find them – they would still need to complete the shoot by early morning so that the same can be uploaded before office hours begin. Meanwhile, the strange reservoir begins to work on the team’s vulnerabilities, bringing some confusing and at times terrifying acoustic hallucinations of drowning victims, and the voices of their loved and deceased ones also come into the picture. They try to leave the area, but the map only keeps leading them to the same place, and they wonder if the strange woman whom they saw on the way with stones had something to do with all of these. Can they escape what seems to be a force of nature or will they be killed?

The defence of Salmokji: Whispering Water :: The darkness used in the strange abandoned area nicely works, and the use of the water and its related evil presence keeps the movie going strong with that touch of fear – the same is amplified with the sound effects which works so well; the moments of throwing the stone to the other side and it coming back in another form quickly caught our attention. Then, the first appearance of the thing out of water and the police scenes remain memorable. The climax is unexpected and nicely brings the horror back, and even nicely sets the world for a possible sequel. As this is supposed to be based on real urban legends based on a reservoir and water, things only get more interesting, as we consider the history behind the same. Unlike those found-footage movies which managed to get more attention than they deserved, the devices including the cameras and videos are used in the best manner without getting overdone or standing in the way of the overall mood. Some shots seem to be done to maximize the effect even with minimum special effects.

The claws of flaw :: Despite the scares being present, we do feel that some of them are just forced, and serves more or less as the quick jump scares which come out of nowhere just for the sake of being there. The characters are not that detailed, and most of them do not feel that smart when we look at them from a distance. A lot of background surely goes missing around here. The supernatural entity along with the mythology in which it stands, as well as whatever folklore or urban legend it is based on, remains mostly unexplored, which leaves the movie with an incomplete feeling. One would feel that some kind of exploration related to the same will be around in the last moments, but the same is not there to be found. We have kept looking for the same throughout the movie, and by the end, we get so close, but we see things going the unexplained way again. Sometimes, the camera also goes strong, and not that interesting to follow. A few more moments that goes back to the folklore with a flashback would have served well too.

The performers of the soul :: Kim Hye-yoon remains strong at the core of the movie, with an emotional side that works well with her. She does not go with the typical horror scream-queen tropes, and instead goes for calmness and exhaustion that follows. Her depiction of a certain emotional overload facing hallucinations works really well. She would make a fine part of a usual horror movie as well. Lee Jong-won’s support is to be noted, as he remains the sanest character who makes more smart decisions than any other. Jang Da-ah seemingly brings the less experienced younger member to life, and there is also a certain amount humour that goes on with a certain cuteness factor; she is also someone we hope to see surviving. Kim Jun-han as Woo Gyo-sil brings some more horror with a different character that comes into the picture with some mystery behind his actions. There is always something about this character who goes multi-faced. Kim Young-sung as Song Gyeong-tae had something to add as a strong character too.

How it finishes :: The movie goes through a smooth Korean folk horror journey even though it does not bring anything that grand or divergent in character. There are moments that make it stand apart from other horror movies, and it surely has enough scares to make an impact despite the idea being not that refined to make the best impact. The performances being good surely supports the cause here too. The reservoir here is not just a spooky set piece, as it is successfully transformed into an ancient presence that brings unlimited horror, even though not that much explained or unleashed as one would have wanted it to be. This would have been Korean horror’s most effective slow burn folk-horror with a little bit more attention, but we do not see that much of an effort here. But we know that we get enough dose of scares around here, and there is a certain amount of satisfaction related its divergence. The movie is available on Amazon Prime Video among those other horror movies of the year, some of which are not even worth being categorized into that genre, and is surely worth some attention.

Release date: 17 April 2026
Running time: 95 minutes
Directed by: Lee Sang-min
Starring: Kim Hye-yoon, Lee Jong-won, Kim Jun-han, Kim Young-sung, Oh Dong-min, Yoon Jae-chan, and Jang Da-ah

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

<<< Click here to go to the most awaited sequel of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Jester 2

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Vampire Owl: It is time we appoint a Vampire Jester in the court.

Vampire Bat: The times of vampire entertainers are over in our world.

Vampire Owl: You think that Uncle Dracula would not need one to keep him not so serious?

Vampire Bat: I think that you are talking about the Vampire Clown.

Vampire Owl: I object to that usage because they call Dr. Frankenstein by that name.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein has always been a clown of science.

Vampire Owl: You know the greatness of the scientist Frankenstein soon enough.

Vampire Bat: Please keep the castle out of strange pseudo-science and related experiments.

Vampire Owl: I would have liked the castle to have all the credit for great experiments.

Vampire Bat: There is no greatness in fake experiments which bring nothing useful.

[Gets a parippu vada and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: A Halloween night begins, and a terrifying mute figure wearing a scary clownish mask and an orange suit is shown to kill a man at night in the streets after showing him a magic trick, and this happened after he had caused the death of a young man at a costume party after a little performance. This man of illusions and magic tricks, the Jester (Michael Sheffield) keeps walking through the streets, seemingly look for more victims. At the same time, a lone teenager Max (Kaitlyn Trentham) decides to get out of her home to walk through the streets wearing an oversized top hat and a hand-stitched magician’s tailcoat, staying close to the mood of the season and following a trick and treat model. Max has always been a social outcast, bullied all the time by the friends who study with her, and she is also not really liked by her mother and sister, both of them considering her to be too weird and not mentally grown up enough for her age. Her only place of refuge is an antique magic shop managed by Willie (Dingani Beza) who has served as her mentor, also teaching her some tricks of illusion in the process.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As she sits at a diner all alone at night, on the opposite seat, the Jester arrives to sit in a friendly manner. As he takes out a deck of vintage playing cards, and tries to go through his usual activity, Max recognizes the idea of the illusion, and as taught by Willie, she brings a counter-trick, and beats him in his own game. The Jester finds theatrical routine falling apart and deeply enraged by a teenager beating him, slams his hand on the table and leaves as she wonders about what just happened. She finds out that the Jester is a supernatural entity who has turned the entire neighborhood into a location where he is going to perform through a night of blood and gore. He stalks local residents, and darkness has become his ally, with Halloween masks an added advantage. Max witnesses one of his acts of brutality as she goes with him as he had invited him to go to a home for trick and treating. She understands that this is something supernatural.

And what more is to follow here as horror makes more claims in the Halloween night? :: She tries to escape from him, but ends up in a strange place under the control of the Jester where he explains that he needs her to join him and perform tricks instead of him as she had beaten him in his own game of illusions. Only then, he can claim souls this time, and she has to lead the way. She instantly disagrees to the same, but then learns about the consequences which would lead both her souls to eternal torment as a result of a pact which he had made with an evil entity whose existence goes a long way back. She partially agrees to help him by leading him to the people who bullied him earlier and provide him with their souls. But when she reaches one of such victims, finds herself unable to have the Jester murder him. But with time running out and the Jester determined to claim souls and with her own life at stake, she has to find an alternative, as her family is also targeted by the evil entity of Halloween. Can she escape from this situation which seems to be inescapable from all known angles?

The defence of The Jester 2 :: The movie stands tall with Michael Sheffield’s work as the Jester at its strongest. His silent theatrics in the orange suit and scary mask give him a genuinely striking visual presence reminding one of tricksters and evil clowns. Kaitlyn Trentham also nicely blends in here as the girl who seeks for a better situation in life, and at least to be considered a person of importance. She will make a big impression as a scream queen with more horror movies. The Halloween mood also brings the aesthetic with street carnivals, people in the classic costumes, neon-lit small town and spookiness never leaves, as the visual score remains high. Instead of remaining just a mindless slasher, the attempt to weave in an emotional core about loneliness can be seen, and the Jester is also more than what meets the eye. The magic and illusions getting into murders also have our attention, as the usual random murders are no longer at the main focus. The twisted world keeps us feeling that there is something about it than what meets the eye.

The claws of flaw :: The movie seems to have a certain amount of confusion about what kind of an entity Jester really is, as we find him as many different things at once, and in the end, he is taken apart rather too easily despite being such a creature of evil and darkness set in a world of chaos and illusions – he could have been a force of nature from the abyss of evil like no other. The Jester could have been that kind of a creature bigger than all evil clowns as we have seen in It or Terrifier. The lack of pace also brings some worry in between. The presence of uneven CGI along with those visual tricks keeping itself cheap might be because of a lower budget – much more could have surely been achieved. The dramatic side with the mother-daughter could have been stronger with more moments, and sisterhood elements also deserved something better than what we had around here as just a quick scene and references. The mentoring with the magic and some stylish illusions would have also made a classic background.

How it finishes :: There was always a lot of scope with this kind of a premise, and we had hoped for more. Yet, this remains interesting throughout its run, even when things slow down a bit. The Jester 2 rests mostly on the strength of its visuals with the atmosphere and some nice tricks, along with the performances from those who plat the protagonist and the antagonist. We can hope that the ritualistic purpose of the creature gets expanded on another day with one more sequel, or a prequel from a long way back, as this is one concept that can keep the horror strong. Facing a seemingly unstoppable force from the depths of unknown will always have our attention. A future sequel with a bigger budget can bring something to remember for a long time. For now, it is available in both Amazon Prime Video and Jio Hotstar, making sure that we have nicer slasher from two of the best OTT platforms available in India. After all, these are the kind of platforms which we use more due to special offers which come from mobile phone recharges and other sources.

Release date: 17 October 2025
Running time: 90 minutes
Directed by: Colin Krawchuk
Starring: Michael Sheffield, Kaitlyn Trentham, Dingani Beza, Jessica Ambuehl

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

<<< Click here to go to the most awaited sequel of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Runner

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Vampire Owl: We have always been referred to as night runners by humans.

Vampire Bat: That is a title reserved for the creatures of spirit world.

Vampire Owl: I have heard humans calling us by that name.

Vampire Bat: It is because you haunted houses like evil ghosts.

Vampire Owl: That was like a few hundred years ago.

Vampire Bat: You should have known that they write it down in detail.

Vampire Owl: Well, humans no longer read or write anything by themselves these days.

Vampire Bat: They will still get the details from their own Artificial Intelligence.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein has said that Artificial Intelligence was transferred from shadow world to humans.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein knows no shadow. I have heard that he is even writing a book named “Frank’s Shadow’s of Infinity”.

[Gets a sambar vada and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Maia (Gal Gadot) is a prosecutor who deals with some of the most sensational cases, thus becoming almost a celebrity in the same. She also serves as single mother to her diabetic son Noah (Rory Wilmot) as they live in London going through a happy life. On the day she is supposed to appear in court for the trial of a notorious crime boss, the health and figure conscious Maia goes for a run after dropping off her son in the school campus, not walking him to the building. As she keeps running, she receives a call coming from Noah’s phone from an anonymous person who declares himself as an employee of the dreaded crime lord. He tells her that Noah is with him, and orders her to go according to his instructions so that the boy does not succumb to his diabetes-related problems. He also lets her know that he has hacked her phone, revealing details of her hidden folders and her semi-naked private pictures which she found there to make her believe – he tracks her each step as she is supposed to keep the mobile phone with her, which leaves her unable to call or talk to others for help.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The Caller (Damian Lewis) shows her a trashcan from where she is able to find a gun which she is to use to murder the key witness in the case of the crime lord. As the witness is under police guard, only she can have access to the man in him room which is at an undisclosed hotel set in an area which only a few people know about. Facing the death of his son in one hour and with the Caller having not only her semi-nude private photos, but also other private details from a complicated troublesome past which could destroy her reputation, she has to act and run fast as she can, as there could be restrictions on her path ahead during the busy hours. As she tries to contact Ted (Alfred Enoch) who works with her and has shown a certain romantic interest in her after snatching someone else’s phone, he reveals that he had hacked his phone too, and she understands that she is helpless and completely in control of the unknown man who holds her hostage while her son has gone into coma and faces death with only a few minutes remaining.

And what more can happen here with a child’s life and a woman’s reputation at stake? :: The Caller intends to take the easiest path to murder the man in safe security and at the same time also destroy the life and reputation of the woman who played a major role in having the crime lord in peril. It is revealed that he had hacked the two mobile phones a long time ago, and has this one perfectly planned leading to a perfect murder, knowing Maia’s history of being orphaned and divorced, as well as her mental problems and medicines which she has been taking for mental health. With her mother murdering her father, he considers her to be someone who has a history of violence and brutality in blood along with that mental illness, making her the perfect choice to commit this murder. As she is disturbed by him talking about her disturbed past, mental problems and semi-naked private photos, she is struck by a car on the road, and awakens some minutes later in an ambulance, understanding that she is a lot behind with time. Now, she has to run faster than ever by taking the best shortcuts in the city to even stand a chance to make it – she is not supposed to use any transportation, talk to anyone or draw attention to herself. Can she race against all odds with the injury and reach the location to murder the man?

The defence of The Runner :: The movie lasts for less than one and half hours which makes this one a perfect quick journey through a classic run through London. The charm of the visuals of one of the classic combinations of the ancient and modern has us interested as much as the thrills of the terror with a terrifying killer knowing everything about you while keeping your most loved one hostage – the running is nicely managed throughout the movie which is all about the same and happening within the Aristotelian classical unities. As this follows one main storyline and action, with no subplot, with everything taking place within a single 24-hour day and confined to a single physical location of London city, this is a classic journey which is past-paced while moving through a single small world. The feelings of the protagonist is nicely felt, and Gal Gadot is a perfect choice for this role, as she delivers another thriller outside the big action thrillers like Red Notice and Fast and Furious series or the Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League world. Gal Gadot running through a city with unparalleled determination is a sight that we will remember for long.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not hesitate to show itself as a cliché or a deviation from previous movies at times. Gal Gadot who handles the physically demanding nature of this sprint could have also had some big stylish sequences at high pace which would be above the ordinary, but we see it kept ordinary and simple, below the huge situation that we have around here with a high-profile case and a dreaded crime lord involved. There could have also been more life-threatening moments to go with the same with the protagonist taking so many more unexpected risks. Some of the effects used to make the running feel tiring, hectic and tensed do not work that well, as camera focusing on her from different angles including bird’s eye, from the floor and third-person chasing her would have been stylish – maybe the protagonist could have jumped on the roofs, gone through windows, taking some strange paths through less taken paths; all of these could have been added here and there. The final moments are not that strong too, and the solution here seems rather easy and quickly achieved without that huge tension in the end which we had awaited.

How it finishes :: The film’s biggest asset is its pace going under that one and half hour of time which is often a minimum for most movies, and it goes through a fast and furious journey through the streets and transit systems of London despite the struggle that comes by the end. Gal Gadot brings some classic physical stamina to a role that requires continuous sprinting and some near-perfect movies along with those emotions that need to be displayed in between. It is more or less like an adrenaline-fueled workout run that can keep one extra-healthy if done every day without failure or those injuries. The movie’s inability to bring that tension in the end and the easy solutions are not what we had in mind considering lives and privacy at sake. As the final act abandons its gained momentum for those strange twist revelations, what it had accumulated do not stand that strong. But we enjoy the tension, and the short run-time has us always in focus. As this released directly to Amazon Prime Video, this makes a fine weekend watch on the OTT with the entertainment going at the right pace.

Release date: 2 September 2026
Running time: 84 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
Starring: Gal Gadot, Damian Lewis, Rory Wilmot, Alfred Enoch

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

They Will Kill You

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Vampire Owl: They used to say these words about us related to killings.

Vampire Bat: They do this at a time when humans are the real killers.

Vampire Owl: I still wonder why they are not extinct yet.

Vampire Bat: Evil always finds a way to survive and destroy others.

Vampire Owl: For them, death leads to afterlife and not to the undead status, so they will.

Vampire Bat: Yes, we do not accept evil humans as vampire anymore.

Vampire Owl: Have you seen any good human in the last few years.

Vampire Bat: You know that I do not meet humans anymore. Too much evil around them.

Vampire Owl: All the evil overlords have always been human.

Vampire Bat: Well, humans have always been good with black magic and the chaos nodes which channel their powers.

[Gets a mango burfi and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) is coming out of a troubled past which involved a lot of time being spent in prison after she shot her abusive father. Coming out of her troubled past, she goes searching for her sister Maria Reaves (Myha’la) who was taken away by the same abusive father, and arrives at the Virgil, a huge high-rise building in New York City, posing as the new maid appointed by the special extra rich people who choose to live there. She had gathered information anything anyone last knew about Maria was that she had taken a job was a maid there, and people who take the work is never really seen outside. Lily Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette) tells Asia that the building is more than one hundred years old, and she expects her to do good work for the wealthy and elite which leaves no room for mistake. She is also given a well-arranged beautiful room to stay for the day. She meets Lilly’s husband Ray Woodhouse (Paterson Joseph) who leaves a message “They Will Kill You” on the mirror of her bathroom, but she misses the same as she moves directly into the shower and fog on the mirror erases the same.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Asia notes that there are some strange sounds coming from within the walks, and while she is sleeping, a masked man attacks her, and while trying to fight back, both of them get knocked out. Soon, a few other masked people also come in from the ventilation shafts and secret passages in the room. But she wakes up and manages to fight back. They are surprised to find Asia armed and highly skilled at defending herself, managing to kill all of the assailants despite being outnumbered, thrown around and beaten up. Asia gets out of the room only to find Lily and she demands the location of Maria, who is known to work as a maid at the Virgil. But Lilly only laughs at her while Asia’s attackers resurrect, forcing her to run from them to hide herself in a room, only to find out that the windows of the building cannot be broken, and later to be stabbed by a little boy on her back. She then seeks refuge in the building’s vents, clueless about what is happening around her.

And what more happens here as something more terrifying awaits at each turn? :: Asia who manages to survive against the chasing Sharon Vanderbilt (Heather Graham) despite almost being at the receiving end of the blows, and is saved from others by Ray who explains that the Virgil is a dedicated temple to Satan, and the residents have been granted immortality by performing human sacrifices by capturing and ritually killing the young women looking for jobs as maids. He guides them through the vents and above the room of lust with naked people going through orgies of sexual activities, as Ray tells them about the other deadly sins being openly practiced within the building to please Satan. Sharon who whose head was destroyed by Asia’s shotgun had her eyeballs following them though, and they find Maria only to understand that she does not wish to leave the place at all. She tells them that she had dedicated her life as a maid there and knows what goes on there, making her a part of the Satanic pact. Asia knocks her out and tries to leave only to be hunted by the Satanists. Can the sisters make it out alive?

The defence of They Will Kill You :: The situation which is darkly comedic, but with a stylish approach to action and violence, with fights very much interesting at all times – there is nothing much that one can expect here more than what we see on the screen here. Zazie Beetz whom we know the best from Deadpool 2 is a perfect scream queen survivor fighter here too, as she goes through the fights and maintains that emotional weight, as she balances her feelings with survivalist action – the first fight in the room is too good with style and fun as she excels right there, with those unexpected moves and sets the tone really well for what is to follow in the movie later; there is even a nice, funny side to that battle. The environment really works in favour of the movie too, as the eerie, isolated luxury high-rise building provides a claustrophobic atmosphere which leaves one with no chance to escape and no help to be taken from outside. The use of Satanism also works in its favour like in Psycho Killer, as the terror feels like having some other-worldly influence as escape seems more and more difficult.

Positives and negatives :: The movie’s situation nicely resembles the sequel to Ready or Not which released this year with its own sisters in trouble to due to a group of families hunting them within a closed space in a luxury land property instead of this luxury building rising high. The Satanic presence was also around in that movie, and the similarities still point out the differences, with this one not being that serious, and the humour here is surely stronger with more focus on horror, while the earlier movie felt more serious and further emotional about sisterhood. The movie’s brutality might not be acceptable to everyone, but there is a certain amount of balance maintained there too. The shift between the genre can also feel strange at times. The style also takes over a little bit too much, and some elements of possible horror seems to be left unattended as the terrifying seriousness is not set as the most significant thing here. Myha’la and Heather Graham also deserved more fights here, but they are very good when they go through the same.

How it finishes :: This might be one of the most fun-filled survival horror thrillers that you might ever see in a long time, as the way in which it serves the purpose has to be appreciated. One would feel that some smaller moments could have been taken differently, but that would go unnoticed unless the viewer is digging a lot deeper. We note that this one became an entertaining watch like not many others could accomplish with similar situations. The social message about the rich hunting the poor is also there, and we see how evil has its roots in the influential sides, maintaining its terror really well. The action here is too good, and the surprise provided by the first fight in the room scores higher than ever, with another big fight in the darkness and the final battle making impact too. If you are looking for an inventive, gory, survival-based thrill ride with big action, this is the one entertainer that you are looking for, and the same can be accessed through Jio Hotstar, with Zazie Beetz stealing the show so well.

Release date: 27 March 2026
Running time: 94 minutes
Directed by: Kirill Sokolov
Starring: Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, Patricia Arquette

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

I, Nobody

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Vampire Owl: A vampire has always preferred to remain as anonymous nobody.

Vampire Bat: There are no anonymous people among centuries-old immortals.

Vampire Owl: There is a certain anonymous infinity about us.

Vampire Bat: Infinity is not always equal to immortality.

Vampire Owl: Life which continues in an infinite manner is always immortality.

Vampire Bat: There cannot be a nobody here as there are centuries to discover any identity.

Vampire Owl: Nobody can identify a camouflaged vampire in his spirit form.

Vampire Bat: Uncle Dracula can see through everyone and everything.

Vampire Owl: So did Dr. Frankenstein, once upon a time.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein has seen no real truth in his entire life. We are forced to sing that “Frank doesn’t know” every time.

[Gets a chocolate donut and three cups of Yorkshire tea].

What is the movie about? :: Rajeevan (Prithviraj Sukumaran) is a middle-class man with a regular daily job in the Secretariat married to Meera (Parvathy Thiruvothu) and they have two young children – this seems like a very happy family for the people looking from outside. But Meera regularly cheats in their marriage with an unknown man (Rony David) identified only as the Branch Manager of ISFC Bank at its Vanchiyoor Branch. Rajeevan who is fed up with Meera’s attitude with him and his children, as well as her recently discovered secret sexual affair and decides to go the bank and talk to him with a gun during the busy hours. But there, while waiting for a meeting with the man, Rajeevan ends up facing three masked bank robbers who enter the bank with weapons, Peter (Sanju Sivram), Alex (Sudhi Koppa) and Koshy (Khalid Rahman) who also finds the gun with him as it falls down in shock. They feel that he is part of a rival gang or someone sent by someone who got a clue about their plans.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: They decide to take him hostage with a plastic cover over his head as he seems like someone who can harm their cause, and they go on a ride in the van. But on the way, due to Rajeevan creating a ruckus, the car crashes while trying to run him down. CPO Anas Rahman (Hakim Shahjahan) who is also involved in the crime fails to find the stolen money, and everyone else in the police department who looks for the same are also not able to find the same. SP Ajith IPS (Shankar Ramakrishnan) who doubts Rajeevan fails to believe him, while CI Jomon (Madhupal) who has to listen to his superiors, decide not to help him as he is followed by the police and attacked by random goons and people who wish to steal from him after media calls him a suspect. Seeing the crisis that Rajeevan is going through and with her lover also disowning her due to police being involved, she decides to move away to a distant town after getting a divorce from him. Now the question remains if he can go on like this forever.

The defence of I, Nobody :: The movie talks about an almost middle or little above person, and the status of a common man in the food chain is questioned in a brutal manner, even for a man with a government job which had placed him in a safe-future zone. The final moments get the movie into action thriller mode really well, and we also remember that the beginning was so good. The emotional side is pretty much working around here for most of the times. A real-picture of dysfunctional small families of cities is also reflected here, as communication breaks down with not hope, with ego taking over. The final moments with the large amount of cash also proves that money is everything, and it is something that builds broken relations – the reality of humanity is exposed during so many occasions. Then there is the clear reflection of new generation online social media and media as a whole which streams and makes things worse. The movie is a reflection of a hopeless, absurd world of meaningless nihilism which still ends with a happily ever after.

The claws of flaw :: The supporting characters are not dealt with that well. This is too long a work, and it can be seen that the movie suffers from a certain drag, stretching scenes longer than needed, even having some slow motion and repetition in between. One can safely say that this never looked like a movie intended to go above two hours, but we see a very long journey around here. The individual character drama takes over so early that the main elements which we were expecting are always in the backseat. The heist elements die too early, and being an action thriller with this content is rather strange. It also seems to have a climax that lacks the punch for which we waited with so much expectations. The ending seems to be achieved as a deus ex machina or an easy resolution because there were not many ways left to end with such a build-up. There were so many moments in between which did not seem like suiting its world. The side characters also seem to go on a struggle in between, and some of them seem to be pushed right in there. The movie could have been so much more with the common man idea.

The performers of the soul :: Prithviraj Sukumaran comes up with a strong, but still a restrained portrayal of an ordinary as well as vulnerable everyman caught in extraordinary circumstances – due to his permanent government job nature, one might feel otherwise, but the same feeling is evoked as personal situations involving family also comes into picture, and there is always a food chain however safe one feels to be. Parvathy Thiruvothu has a role with subtle, layered emotional depth which is handled quite well. It is always good to see her in some work that requires a little bit of extra skill. The next one who catches our attention is Ashokan who has done a commendable job even though he gets more to do only later. Hakim Shahjahan’s policeman will also stay with us, while Shankar Ramakrishnan, Irshad Ali and Madhupal do well with lesser police roles. Nishanth Sagar also creates and impression, while Vijayaraghavan brings his fine veteran experience to light in the final few moments.

How it finishes :: The movie just serves the purpose, and that much is sure when we have a close look at it. There is the attempt to blend the genres, which seems to leave parts of the movie with a certain confusion about the possible directions. The inability to maintain its initial strength holds it back from reaching its full potential. A long runtime and the repetition followed by the inability to wrap up things well has it in peril by the end, but still manages to be fair enough. The needed dramatic weight never really comes in here either. It remains an interesting effort with makes the initial impact and brings the divergence, but struggles with the inconsistencies. The case of ordinary citizens struggling due to circumstances having no help from systemic corruption and feeling to activate the unexpected survival instincts was that engaging hook which sets it apart from the usual journeys, but what happens after that might be worth some questioning. Yet, this was enjoyable and thought-provoking for most of its run, especially in the first half. Jio Hotstar had this one releasing for Onam which serves the audience with more options.

Release date: 9 July 2026
Running time: 168 minutes
Directed by: Nissam Basheer
Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Hakkim Shahjahan, Ashokan, Vijayaraghavan, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Madhupal, Nakshatra, Ayra Izra, Nishanth Sagar, Nandu, Ishad Ali, Manoj K U, Jijoy Rajagopal, Sudhi Koppa, Sanju Sivram, Khalid Rahman, Rony David, Beena R Chandran, Sana Althaf, Krishnan Balakrishnan, Dinesh Alappuzha, Noushad Ali, Sudhi Kozhikode, Albin Alex, Jithin Madanan, Lenna Paul, Mahendran

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.