Cult Horror Finds Its Bloody Reward

Read Time:7 Minute, 22 Second

MOVIE REVIEWS
The Behemoth (Le Béhémoth)
–

Genre: Horror
Year Released: 2025, 2026 DVD
Runtime: 1h 30m
Director: Kai E. Bogatzki
Writers: Kai E. Bogatzki, Rapsodies, Orso Vesperini
Cast: Beatrice Fletcher, Ryan Wichert, Sarah Dawes, Johnny Vivash, Alison Harris, Wilfried Capet, Daniele Rizzo
Where to Watch: available now; order your copy here: www.cleorecs.com, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since starting to review films is not to judge a movie by its cover, at least no more than I’d judge a book by its cover. I mean no disrespect to this cover designer, but the film on the cover feels substantially less like the film I watched. There’s a point in THE BEHEMOTH when all the restraint gives way, and the movie shows what it really came to do. Blood starts flowing, the effects get increasingly vile, and a relatively quiet cult-horror story suddenly develops the kind of personality that had only been showing itself in flashes. Getting there is considerably less consistent.

Director and co-writer Kai E. Bogatzki starts with enough unpleasantness to show he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. From there, however, the movie settles down considerably as Rebecca (Sarah Dawes) and Ryan (Ryan Wichert) head to the mountains for a vacation and meet Christine (Beatrice Fletcher), their host for the trip. There’s something wrong; you can just feel it, and the appearance of a secretive religious group, aka a cult, doesn't exactly improve their prospects for a relaxing holiday.

We've been down this road plenty of times in horror (probably too many times). A secluded location, outsiders arriving somewhere they don't belong, strange locals, and an ominous group with plans involving ancient forces are hardly new ingredients, which means THE BEHEMOTH has to distinguish itself through execution. The first half of the film struggles at times, but not because Bogatzki takes his time. Slow-burn horror can create tremendous unease when ordinary conversations and quiet spaces feel increasingly dangerous. Several early scenes linger too long on dialogue that reveals little about the characters. Rebecca and Ryan are supposed to provide the emotional entry point. Yet their conversations can feel stiff enough that it's hard to invest in their relationship before the larger horror elements take over.

The performances are similarly uneven without ever becoming tragic. Wichert and Dawes have stronger individual moments than they do as a couple, while some supporting performances land somewhere between intentionally heightened and simply unnatural. The dialogue doesn't help, especially when characters have to communicate information rather than respond naturally to whatever situation is developing around them.

Beatrice Fletcher fares considerably better as Christine. She brings a commitment that becomes increasingly important as the movie sinks deeper into horror, and she cuts through some of the stiffness elsewhere. When THE BEHEMOTH needs someone who can sell fear, confusion, or something far more extreme, Fletcher gives the story the intensity it's asking for.

Bogatzki is also far more successful at creating the visuals here than the conversations. The isolated surroundings give the film an appropriately cold feel, and the mountainous landscape provides scale the production couldn't have manufactured elsewhere. At times, THE BEHEMOTH looks surprisingly refined for a modest independent production, especially when it stops asking people to explain themselves and lets an unsettling image speak instead.

The setting does more work than some of the characters, particularly once the film starts using the emptiness around them as part of the threat. Snowy roads and stretches of mountain landscape give the story a sense that help is farther away than it probably is, which is exactly what this kind of horror needs. The production design is straightforward, but the ritual spaces and religious imagery have enough detail to make you feel like there’s something older and more organized than a handful of people in robes. Those choices help THE BEHEMOTH feel larger than its actual scale.

Music and ominous sound cues can become too aggressive, sometimes advertising the danger so insistently that the movie leaves little room for uncertainty. Screaming and distressed vocal performances also occasionally continue past the point where they add anything, turning scenes that should be upsetting into something closer to exhausting.

Then the practical effects arrive in force, and THE BEHEMOTH becomes a much easier movie to recommend to a particular kind of horror fan. Philipp Rathgeber's effects work gives the production flesh, blood, and tangible physical damage instead of hiding behind digital effects. Ina Chochol's makeup work complements it beautifully, giving the later horror an unpleasant texture that makes even the movie's rougher moments feel more convincing. This isn't a film that just splashes some blood across the actors and calls it a day, either. When Bogatzki decides to get violent, there's genuine creativity in how bodies are treated, and a few images are unpleasant enough to stick around after the credits. The commitment to practical effects gives THE BEHEMOTH the identity its initial idea lacks.

The screenplay also deserves credit for eventually refusing to follow the obvious path. Without getting into where it goes, the story makes a substantial shift that forces the audience to reconsider some assumptions about the people involved and changes the nature of the threat. It's the point where the film becomes more interesting, although the change also exposes how thin some of the earlier characterization was.

Underneath it all is an intriguing idea. Faith becomes so absolute that morality becomes an inconvenience. THE BEHEMOTH touches on religious devotion, sacrifice, and the willingness to justify cruelty in service of something supposedly greater, but those ideas remain secondary to the genre mechanics. A little more attention to the cult itself and why its members believe what they believe could've made the eventual terror considerably heavier.

Instead, the movie sometimes makes the Servants of Blood seem interesting because they're a cult, not because this particular cult is fully developed. Their rituals are effective, and Johnny Vivash carries an appropriately threatening presence, but the group could've used more individual characters beyond its purpose in the story. The movie has an entire belief system sitting within reach and only grabs pieces of it.

At 90 minutes, the movie also has little room to lose itself. The opening stretch could've been tightened considerably, and some conversations would benefit from being shortened rather than rewritten entirely. Once the story changes direction, though, THE BEHEMOTH builds momentum and holds it much more successfully through its second half.

That divide leaves the movie squarely in the middle for me. Too much awkward dialogue, underdeveloped character work, and uneven sound design make it hard to ignore, but the effects, atmosphere, and later horror push are too strong to dismiss it as another disposable cult project. When Bogatzki gets away from people talking and starts putting his monsters, makeup, and bloodshed front and center, his strengths become considerably clearer.

THE BEHEMOTH may not leave much of a mark with its vacationing couple or its familiar setup, but it certainly knows how to make a mess once the ancient evil comes knocking. The practical work alone gives horror fans something worthwhile to chew on, while Fletcher's committed performance and willingness to upset expectations keep the film from taking the easy route. A stronger movie hides inside this one, but the version we get still delivers enough wonderfully ugly moments to make the trip worthwhile.

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can also find my social media accounts on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of CLEOPATRA VENOM, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to unbiased, sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
This site also contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support as you navigate these links.