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R
Starring
Georgina Campbell, Logan Miller, James Preston Rogers, Malcolm McDowell, David Tomlinson
Director
Gavin Polone
Producer
Roy Lee, Andrew Kevin Walker,
Genres
Horror
Thriller
Detective
Released by
20th Century Studios on
2/20/2026
Nationwide
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Trailer
Review
Psycho Killer is all about misdirection. It starts out as one thing and ends up someplace completely different. The first scene, a shot through the front windshield of a speeding car, offers up a grim aesthetic that is only amplified through the ensuing traffic stop and shocking (but expected) murder of a state trooper. In the early going, I was getting a definite Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer vibe. Alas, the movie soon deviates into something more generic (an off-duty cop chasing down a mass murderer), loses its edge, incorporates a very weird detour, and builds to a preposterous climax. By the 80-minute mark, this once dark, gritty film had shifted into self-parody territory. The low-key, assured approach evident in the early going by first-time director (and long-time producer) Gavin Polone had gone over-the-top and down the far side.
The screenplay, credited to Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker, has been kicking around for the better part of 20 years. Over the course of its evolution, names like Fred Durst and Eli Roth have been attached. It was finally greenlit in 2023 and moved forward with a mostly unknown cast (save for Malcolm McDowell, who probably earned a mint for what amounts to an extended cameo) and a first-time director. The results are predictable given the pedigree.
Psycho Killer shines (possibly not the best word for such a bleak movie) during its first act, which introduces the implacable, masked Satanic Slasher (James Preston Rogers), who goes about his gory business without seeming emotion. He sounds a little like Darth Vader and looks a little like Jason Voorhees. When we join him mid-killing spree, we get to see a few of his victims: a cop, a drugstore worker (reminding us once again to always check the backseat when getting into a car), and someone changing a tire. His tools of the trade are pretty basic: guns, knives, sledgehammers, and axes. Nothing truly inventive. Polone is actually pretty restrained when it comes to gore. The bloodletting is certainly R-rated, but the camera never lingers.
The movie starts losing steam when it pivots to Jane Archer (Georgina Campbell), the state trooper wife of the cop who is slain at the beginning of the movie. After witnessing her husband's death and being unable to stop the perpetrator, she becomes obsessed with tracking down the Satanic Slasher. Her improbable, off-the-books investigation brings her into contact with him several times, but he keeps slipping through her fingers. We are left to believe that he keeps her alive because he enjoys playing the game with her. Or maybe not. Who knows?
Malcolm McDowell shows up as a Satanic High Priest who recruits believers by using coded messages placed in newspaper classified sections. This, along with references to Three Mile Island, suggests that the original treatment of Psycho Killer probably dates back to the 1990s, which is when it appears to be set. McDowell's role is entirely superfluous and appears to be somewhat satirical in nature in defining the difference between true disciples of Satan and the fake ones (sort of like a reverse evangelical Christian mockery). I enjoyed the two or three McDowell scenes - primarily a dinner and an orgy - but they belong in a different movie.
The less said about Act Three, the better. The movie was on the passable side until it decided to reveal the Satanic Slasher's real goal. At that point, I couldn't decide whether it was more appropriate to shake my head sadly or laugh uproariously. Walker hails from Altoona, PA, and was about 15 when the Three Mile Island accident occurred, so no doubt it left a big impression on him. The way he uses the location, however, is only slightly less ridiculous than how it was employed in Wolverine. Looking back at Psycho Killer as a whole, the missteps in the final 20 - 30 minutes easily overwhelm some of the earlier, better material. It's tough to recommend this even as a streaming time-waster. Oh, and the movie either lacks the self-awareness or didn't have the budget to feature the classic Talking Heads song of the same name.
© 2026 James Berardinelli
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