The Wasteland Reviewer

Pillion (2026) Written Revew

Are audiences ready to dive deep into the world of BDSM in Harry Lighton’s directorial effort with Pillion? Most likely not! But that won’t stop writer/director Harry Lighton from delivering a surprisingly deep and moving love story in a BDSM wrapped package. Pillion tells the story of Harry Melling’s Colin who is a directionless young gay man who finds himself the subject of a dominant and enigmatic biker, Alexander Skarsgard’s Ray. They start a dom/sub relationship that is both fully committed yet distant. Lighton then takes you on a fascinating journey of an evolving romance and human connection.

 What does Lighton deliver from behind the camera? First off, this is an incredibly confident film that feels so comfortable in its own skin. There is no shying away from the BDSM lifestyle, sexuality, and all other things involved in the relationship between Colin and Ray. Lighton does a great job of balancing the tone as there is plenty of strong humor injected into the film without avoiding some truly emotional raw moments throughout the film. There are a few key scenes where Pillion hits so raw and sweeps you away into the journey that Colin goes on in finding himself and the direction he wants in his life. The way the camera moves, and certain scenes are presented, give the film maximum impact. Cinematographer Nick Morris leverages plenty of intimate close-ups and reflected shots (in mirrors) to capture the raw emotions and reactions of the two men in this relationship. The moments on the bike feel euphoric as with a mixture of close-ups, music, and slow-motion. The score is quite euphoric in general with Oliver Coates leaning into the powerful synths and technological music. 

How does Lighton bring Adam Mars-Jones book “Box Hill” to life? The two main characters are fascinating as they each go on their own journeys. It is refreshing to see Colin start out as a comfortably “out” gay man with a supportive family (if not pushy mother). But he does seem to know what he wants out of a connection. After a graphic and intense first meet-up with Ray, Colin begins to realize that he loves this submissive role and the power that Ray has over him. The conflict and drama stems from a variety of layers including how Colin’s parents react to this one-sided dynamic as well as Colin seeing more balanced dom/sub relationships in practice. The story does a great job of exploring Colin’s search for identity and exploring what he wants in such a satisfying and impactful way. Ray is shown to slowly crack open this intense and hyper focused façade which leads the film to some powerful and tragic places. In the end, this is Colin’s journey of self-discovery and self-worth which translates well into a retable and poignant experience. 

How impressive is the one-two punch of Melling and Skarsgard? What Harry Melling does in the role of Colin is fascinating. His facial expressions tell half the story of the film. There is one scene of intense intimacy and mind games that is summed up so perfectly by the specific face that Melling makes at the end. The way he walks and stands shows his evolution from weak and insecure about himself to confidence in his own skin. The range of emotions that Melling can express through that distinct face of his is quite extraordinary. Skarsgard on the other hand does so much with so little. His stature and presence are so confident, tall, and strong. He is so commanding and domineering throughout the film. Through his eyes, subtle smirks, and head movements, the audience can glean where Ray sits in this dynamic with Colin. It is quite exciting to see Skarsgard slowly open throughout the film and get some moments to shine with his weird and offbeat charisma. One single face that he makes though…changes the game for this relationship and Skarsgard delivers it so powerfully. Shoutout to both Douglas Hodge and Lesley Sharp, who are so endearing as Colin’s parents for the few scenes we get to see them. 

Is Pillion the first great romance in the new year? This is a great film with plenty of emotion and power to it. With the extremely graphic elements (including some visible prosthetics), this will be a hard sell for a chunk of audiences. But if you can get past the discomfort with this “taboo” lifestyle, you can open yourself up to such an affecting and poignant cinematic experience in the hands of Lighton, Melling, and Skarsgard.