A Game Adaptation That Resists Cliche

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MOVIE REVIEW
The Mortuary Assistant
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Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Psychological
Year Released: 2026
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director(s): Jeremiah Kipp
Writer(s): Tracee Beebe, Brian Clarke
Cast: Willa Holland, Paul Sparks, Mark Steger, Shelly Gibson, Keena Ferguson Frasier
Where to Watch: coming to select theaters February 13, 2026

RAVING REVIEW: What if the scariest part of the job is how normal it feels? That issue quietly anchors THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT, a horror film that understands fear doesn’t always arrive with extravaganza. Instead, it creeps in through repetition, silence, and the slow erosion of certainty. Adapting a video game known for its oppressive atmosphere rather than jump-driven shocks, director Jeremiah Kipp delivers a film that largely resists the urge to overexplain itself, trusting mood, environment, and performance to do the work.

Set almost entirely within the confines of River Fields Mortuary, the film follows Rebecca Owens, a newly certified mortician working alone on night shifts. What begins as a methodical routine gradually fractures as supernatural disturbances bleed into her work, blurring the line between external danger and internal unraveling. The script wisely avoids treating the mortuary as a gimmick. Instead, it becomes a space defined by stillness, where the absence of life sharpens every sound, movement, and shadow.

Willa Holland carries the film with a restrained, grounded performance that favors tension over overt panic. Her portrayal of Rebecca isn’t that of a horror protagonist eager to investigate danger, but rather of someone conditioned to endure discomfort out of professional duty. That choice proves effective, allowing the film’s escalation to feel organic rather than artificial. Holland sells exhaustion, denial, and creeping dread with minimal dialogue, letting the audience sit inside her isolation rather than observe it from a safe distance.

Paul Sparks, as Rebecca’s mysterious mentor, functions as a destabilizing presence rather than a conventional authority figure. His character embodies the film’s thematic interest in inherited trauma and institutional silence. Rather than serving as a simple source of exposition, he exists as a question mark, someone whose calm only deepens unease. Mark Steger’s physical performance as the Mimic adds another unsettling layer, relying on movement and presence instead of explicit explanation.

Where THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT succeeds most is in its commitment to atmosphere. The sound design emphasizes subtle disturbances, allowing ordinary noises to take on sinister weight. Embalming procedures are depicted with clinical realism, grounding the supernatural elements in tactile detail. This approach reinforces the film’s central idea that horror thrives when the environment feels authentic rather than exaggerated.

As a video game adaptation, the film consciously expands on the mythology without becoming beholden to it. Fans of the source material will recognize familiar themes and entities, but the story remains accessible enough for newcomers. Importantly, the film doesn’t rely on lore overload or constant callbacks. Instead, it allows dread to accumulate through implication, trusting viewers to connect emotional and narrative dots themselves. Ironically, this is the complete opposite of the other video game adaptation I wrote about today, in the best way possible.

The deliberate pacing, while effective for building tension, can feel slightly repetitive at times, particularly for viewers expecting more progression. Some story threads hint at deeper exploration of Rebecca’s past trauma and the town’s history, but stop short of fully exploring them in the depths that would really add to the intrigue.

Visually, the film maintains a muted, oppressive palette that reinforces its psychological weight. Darkness is used thoughtfully, not to obscure action, but to create uncertainty about what is and is not present. When the film does deploy obvious horror imagery, it lands harder because of the groundwork laid beforehand. These moments feel earned, not inserted to satisfy expectations.

What ultimately elevates THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT above many video game adaptations is its refusal to chase constant escalation. It understands that fear can stagnate if pushed too aggressively, and instead commits to an endurance-based approach. The horror comes from being trapped in a cycle, from performing the same tasks while reality subtly degrades around you. That choice won’t work for everyone, but it aligns closely with the film’s thematic core. I applaud the way it allows horror to be present within the film's expectations.

By the time the night reaches its conclusion, THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT feels less like a traditional haunted-space story and more like an examination of vulnerability, grief, and control. It doesn’t answer every question it raises. Its strength lies in leaving unease behind, lingering long after the final scene fades. For viewers of the game or those who want a different kind of horror, the film offers a measured, immersive experience that prioritizes atmosphere and performance over excess. It won’t change the horror landscape, but it understands exactly what kind of genre film it wants to be, and executes that vision with confidence.

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[photo courtesy of EPIC PICTURES, DREAD, SHUDDER]

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