The Wasteland Reviewer

Psycho Killer (2026) Written Review

Are we ready for the next iconic serial killer in the realm of horror films? Well…you will have to keep waiting. With the release of Gavin Polone’s new horror/thriller Psycho Killer, we were promised a wild, satanic killer who would be setting the world of horror on storm. The film follows Jane as she chases down this killer after he murders who highway patrolman husband. This killer has a disturbing mask and a deep voice as he slices and dices through folks with a true mission that is more horrific than you can ever imagine. 

Does Polone make the most out of his directorial feature debut? Unfortunately, much of the film just falls flat. There is an overreliance on CGI at times that just looks bad and takes you out of the film. The pacing of the film is dreadful as the story sloths its way across the narrative landscape making this film feel quite boring. That should never be the cast when you have a film about a murder spree by an unhinged, masked killer. Even the kills and practical effects just feel uninspired and quite uninteresting. The film never once feels scary, which is a shame when you have such a promised slasher premise. The film lacks any type of impact and is just devoid of tension. The result is a film that feels like it is going through the motions without packing much else in. The vibes feel like cheap metal music injected into a bland looking experience. 

Does the screenplay from Andrew Kevin Walker do much to elevate the story? The film honestly feels like the quick first stab at writing a feature film without much else to offer. The core of the story makes sense as our protagonist has quite the personal reason for chasing after this serial killer after her husband is killed by this masked entity. But nothing else really makes sense. There are moments throughout the film where she has caught up to him, yet it feels so fake that he is able to get out of there. The kills feel flippant and lack any type of real impact. The mystery of the story feels convenient and strung together. The dialogue is quite clunky and uninteresting throughout. The whole climax of the film feels completely unearned and feels completely idiotic in how it resolves itself. There is even an obnoxious sequel tease that makes little sense and just begs for more questions along the way. The whole logic of this killer makes no sense. 

Does the cast add much to the proceedings? You must feel for Georgina Campbell. You can tell she is an actor who has plenty of personality, but you could never guess that from this film. Saddled with uninspired and clunky dialogue, she does her best to feel authentic, but she struggles to feel grounded in this uneven and clunky film. Even the emotional core of the film relies on this performance so much and it never quite reaches where it is going for. James Preston Rogers certainly sells the physicality of this massive and brutal killer but the horrifically bad and uninspired mechanical voice his character is saddled with is atrocious. The voice sounds so artificial and lacks any true menace which leaves the film lacking any real bite. They even got Malcolm McDowell to appear in this film as a leader of a cult mansion who seems to be lacking the awareness of the younger filmmakers involved. Most of the supporting and minor cast deliver quite wooden and uninteresting 

Is Psycho Killer a worthwhile horror/crime-thriller in the same vein as Seven and Silence of the Lambs? You can feel the film going through the motions and checking boxes, which is something you should never feel on our side of the camera. An eerie looking killer is wasted with a story that just lacks any true heft or substance. Campbell is sorely wasted in the leading role in this film as well. Psycho Killer is one of the first true duds of the year as it never lives up to its potential.