The Wasteland Reviewer

Onslaught (2026) Written Review

Do you miss B-movie action flicks from the 70s and 80s? There were a few filmmakers at the time that were diving into different film genres and leaving their stamp. John Carpenter is certainly one of the most influential filmmakers of that era when it comes to horror and action filmmaking. You can tell creatives like Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett were greatly inspired by films like Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, The Thing, Escape from New York, They Live, and the rest of Carpenter’s filmography. You can make an argument that art needs to grow and move forward (look at horror films like Obsession and Backrooms that connect with audiences today) but good old-fashioned homage is sometimes a wonderful thing as well.

How does Wingard bring Carpenter-style filmmaking back to the big screen with Onslaught? Within a few seconds of watching this film, you can see Carpenter’s influence everywhere. Look at the font of all the text…it looks just like Halloween. There are even jack-o’-lanterns being shot up by our protagonist for target practice. Wingard knows what he is doing. The visuals of the film have a texture and grit that feels like exploitation cinema of the 70s and 80s. Cinematographer Oren Soffer captures that atmosphere while delivering plenty of aura-filled close-ups and cool shots. This is a film that is just dripping in cool and style. The sound design of the film is unrelenting and visceral. Watching this on IMAX will have your whole-body rumbling from plenty of helicopter sequences and bullets flying. The soundscape of the film is wholly engrossing for sure. But the score by Matthew Pusti is the real star. Channeling all eras of Carpenter’s work, you get plenty of tones, synths, and heavy metal guitar that gives Onslaught plenty of attitude. The film leans into plenty of slow-motion flashbacks in black-and-white that gives the film plenty of personality. The violence is over the top and brutal. Tonally, this film is campy, fun, twisted, and just plain weird (in all the best ways) as it bashes action and horror together so well. 

Does Simon Barrett’s script match the energy of Wingard’s direction? This film is not subtle in the least…but that is a good thing. The opening credits is a montage of Nazis imagery that mashes together America’s military industrial complex. This is a film that has plenty to say (clearly and bluntly) in between the wild action and thrills. A third-generation mad Nazis scientist (Dan Stevens) has taken three tragic soldiers and turned them into the ultimate killing machines as they break loose upon a small desert community in the United States. Each character has a great introduction that combines efficient details to tell the audience everything you need to know about them (we do love some economic screenwriting). This is a film that is barely 90 minutes, and it delivers exactly what you need. The first act of the film sets up plenty of details. Adria Arjona is set up as a badass and tragic military veteran who struggles as a mother when her daughter is dropped off without notice. Her daughter is one of the cutest kids ever to grace the silver screen and if something bad happened to her, you just might be motivated to find Barrett for writing that. The film sets up plenty of secretive government experimentation and a distinct lack of care for humanity (which feels incredibly relatable). There is plenty of commentary on America’s hypocrisy about military veterans which certainly hits hard. There are probably a few too many characters (including Drew Tarkey’s Cyrus who is an asset sent in to “clean-up” the situation). Cyrus adds little to the narrative, but his presence is still a fun time. Like many Carpenter films, this has such a big concept, and it might be frustrating to see how small scale this film stays. There is certainly some suspension of disbelief with some of the killing logic, but it is still such a blast. 

How does the cast bring this old-school flick to life? Arjona is full of rage, attitude, and love for her daughter. Her physicality is pitch perfect while bringing so much presence for such a small woman. Blake Kennedy is the most adorable child performer to pop up in a movie in a LONG time. Dan Stevens is draped in a cape and weird make-up to make him a strange, albino Nazi scientist. He is not in the film as much as you would want but he delivers the campiest, evil, and cunty performance that will stick with you throughout the film. Rebecca Hall is the sexy, seductive, and dangerous wife to Stevens’ scientist. She gets to look powerful and be sexy while delivering some exposition. Cyrus might not have been needed but Starkey’s performance matches Stevens’ cunty turn with his own hilarious twist on a drugged-out assassin. Having veteran character actors like Reginald VelJohnson and Michael Biehn is an absolute delight. Even Eric Wareheim from Tim & Eric pops up as a drunken, cowardly cop who is a ton of fun. Importantly, Alex Pereira, Dave Campbell, and Tyler Hall all deliver powerful, intense, and terrifying physical performances as these killers. Pereira though stands out for his unique physicality and the way he sells so much with just his eyes showing. 

Is Onslaught a fun return to old-school filmmaking or just another cinematic dinosaur lost in the past? Wingard delivers such a boisterous and wild ride that is hard to ignore. All the Carpenter vibes are so well done that the film teleports you back to an exciting period of action/horror/sci-fi filmmaking. The score is a blast. The action and violence are brutal and terrifying. An action/slasher mash-up feels so right in the hands of Wingard and Barrett. This cast is perfectly selected, and they all deliver on this campy and wild ride. Unhinged. Weird. Brutal. This is in all the best ways.