Explaining the Monster Kills the Mystery

Read Time:5 Minute, 7 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The R.I.P Man
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Genre: Horror, Thriller
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 33m
Director(s): Jamie Langlands
Writer(s): Jamie Langlands, Rhys Thompson
Cast: Owen Llewelyn, Maximus Polling, Jasmine Kheen, Matt Weyland, August Porter
Where to Watch: available on digital January 5, 2026

RAVING REVIEW: THE R.I.P MAN comes onto the scene with grandiose ideas of franchise aspirations (and to be fair, the sequel is already in pre-production). From its title to its marketing language, this is a film that wants to introduce a new horror villain, one meant to linger, provoke, and justify sequels. Unfortunately, what it delivers instead is a rough, uneven slasher whose central idea never quite survives contact with execution.

On paper, the concept is solid. A serial killer with a rare condition targets young adults, removing a single tooth from each victim while a buried family secret slowly emerges. There’s room here for psychological horror, body horror, and moral rot beneath suburban normalcy. Instead, the film repeatedly opts for blunt shock and overexplanation, flattening what could have been unsettling into something far less effective.

Jamie Langlands’ direction shows enthusiasm for the genre, but that enthusiasm isn’t matched by control. The film borrows liberally from post-SCREAM self-awareness and early-2000s tech-era slashers, yet never incorporates those influences into its own voice. Scenes arrive, kills happen, a boatload of information is revealed, but tension rarely builds in a way that feels deliberate. Horror thrives on anticipation, and THE R.I.P MAN too often rushes past it.

The most damaging element is the villain design itself. A slasher lives or dies by presence, and here the reveal actively works against the film. Rather than inspiring fear or menace, the killer’s appearance veers into distraction. The look lands uncomfortably close to what you’d get if you ordered Uncle Fester from THE ADDAMS FAMILY off wish.com; unintentionally goofy, and impossible to take seriously once seen. That comparison isn’t about mockery; it’s about tone. The design undercuts the very dread the film is trying to manufacture, turning scenes meant to disturb into moments that pull you out of the story entirely.

This problem is compounded by the film's insistence on explaining its monster. The killer’s condition, motivation, and backstory are laid out with little restraint, draining the mystery before it can ferment into fear. Horror needs negative space. THE R.I.P MAN fills every gap with exposition, mistaking clarity for impact. By the time the truth is revealed, it feels more procedural than unsettling.

The performances are uneven but serviceable. Some cast members bring sincerity and commitment, grounding their reactions in a mix of grief and confusion. Others struggle under stiff dialogue and thin characterization. Matt Weyland’s detective lends weight to the procedural aspects, but even that arc feels underdeveloped, functioning more as descriptive glue than as a compelling investigation in its own right.

Violence, while present, rarely offers enough. The film wants its kills to shock, but without a strong buildup or investment, they blur together. Gore alone isn’t tension. Without atmosphere or pacing to support it, brutality becomes repetitive rather than harrowing.

There’s also a small but persistent irritation that doesn’t affect the film’s quality but does reflect its branding mindset: the title itself. THE R.I.P MAN is stylized without a period after the P, which is technically incorrect if it’s meant to function as an abbreviation. This is clearly intentional; a branding choice rather than a typo (even following up in the sequel), but it’s one of those details that nags at me, especially in a film already struggling. It doesn’t change the experience, but it does contribute to the sense that precision wasn’t always the priority.

None of this means the film is without merit. The core idea has potential. The generational angle could have been stronger with more restraint. Even the premise's absurdity might have worked if the film had leaned into more control. Instead, THE R.I.P MAN feels unsure whether it wants to be grim, campy, or earnest, and ends up stranded between all three.

The promise of a sequel feels forced. Horror icons aren’t thrust upon us; they’re earned over time and with more promise of what's to come. This feels less like the birth of a franchise and more like a proof of concept that needed more refinement before release.

THE R.I.P MAN is a case where ambition outpaces execution. The hook is interesting, the intent is clear, but the result never becomes genuinely frightening. What’s left is a rough experience that occasionally intrigues, often frustrates, and ultimately confirms that a strong idea still needs discipline, restraint, and design that understands the difference between unsettling and unintentionally silly.

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[photo courtesy of REEL2REEL FILMS]

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