Psycho Killer Movie review: psycho killer movie met with negative early reviews
Early reviews of Gavin Polone’s directorial debut psycho killer movie have been broadly negative, calling the long-delayed satanic serial slasher dull as it arrives in wide release. The response matters now because the film’s high-profile writer credit and broad theatrical rollout set expectations that critics say the finished picture does not meet.
Psycho Killer Movie critical response
Initial coverage frames the film as an unsuccessful attempt at a modern slasher. One reviewer labeled it a "Dumpster's worth of horror nothingness, " asking bluntly "What is it?" Another critic described the movie as too straightforward to function as a crime thriller and too dull and scare-free to work as horror, calling the final reveal underwhelming. A third assessment praised the strength of an early opening sequence but said the film goes off the rails and ultimately derails after that promising start.
Why the psycho killer movie was delayed
The screenplay has a long and tangled provenance: it was written by Andrew Kevin Walker in the mid-2000s and, over roughly two decades, passed through multiple hands. The script surfaced online in 2007 and went through a runoff of potential production plans — names and attachments shifted over the years, with a series of almost-productions that included plans in 2009, 2010, 2011 and an attempted funding route in 2015. The project did not reach production until much later, and the film finally got made after a protracted development history.
Cast, tone and running time
The film centers on Jane, a Kansas highway patrol officer played by Georgina Campbell, who sets out to track a hulking killing machine after the murderer shoots her husband during a traffic stop. The antagonist, referred to in coverage as the Satanic Slasher and played by a former wrestler turned actor, is depicted as a physically imposing figure who leaves satanic symbols and blood-written messages at scenes. The movie introduces a metal band called Demon Fist and features Malcolm McDowell as the coke-fueled leader of a gang of poser Satanists who live in a sprawling mansion. Running time is listed as 1 hour 32 minutes and the film is rated R.
- Key takeaways: Gavin Polone’s directorial debut; long, near-20-year development; theatrical rollout to 1, 000-plus cinemas.
Analysts and observers will be watching audience response closely. If turnout is weak for a film granted a wide release, that mismatch between distribution scale and reception could make the movie an example of a costly rollout for a title that failed to connect critically. Conversely, if word-of-mouth improves, the film’s strong genre cast presence and compact runtime could help stabilize its run. At this stage, broader audience reaction and box-office performance remain unclear.
