Supernatural Revenge Rooted in Real Remorse

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MOVIE REVIEW
Eye for an Eye
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Genre: Horror
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 40m
Director(s): Colin Tilley
Writer(s): Elisa Victoria, Michael Tully
Cast: Whitney Peak, S. Epatha Merkerson, Golda Rosheuvel, Finn Bennett
Where to Watch: opens June 20, 2025, in select theaters and on demand

RAVING REVIEW: Horror doesn’t need to shout to be unsettling, and this film proves that discomfort, guilt, and grief can simmer just below the surface without ever needing to break into an overblown extravaganza. Rooted in emotional trauma and shaped through a stylized visual lens, the story explores the weight of standing still when someone else suffers. What starts as a slow-burning character study morphs into a psychological nightmare where the line between consequence and supernatural punishment nearly disappears. It’s a story about watching and doing nothing—and the terrible things that silence might invite.

Anna, still shell-shocked from the loss of her parents, is dropped into an unfamiliar town to live with the grandmother she's never met. She’s emotionally checked out, going through the motions in a place that doesn’t quite feel real. When two local teens pull her into their world, it seems like the first sign of connection. But after she witnesses something horrific and chooses not to intervene, that silence marks her. From that moment, her reality shifts—first emotionally, then visually—as her regret manifests itself.

The horror element doesn’t rely on gore or loud scares. Instead, it plays with disorientation and the fear that comes from feeling complicit. The “entity”—a ghostly presence born of childhood torment—doesn’t need an elaborate backstory. Its purpose is metaphorical and terrifying in equal measure. The way it intrudes upon dreams gives the premise an urgency that pushes the narrative forward while letting the characters remain at the forefront.

Whitney Peak portrays Anna favoring nuance over flash. She plays a young woman buried beneath layers of confusion, guilt, and the weight of loss. Her performance gives the character a level of resilience. You see her holding herself together while unraveling, and the effect works particularly well in scenes that let her react rather than explain what's happening. It's a restrained turn that makes you feel like the camera is always catching her mid-thought, mid-emotion, never fully letting the audience settle into certainty.

The story is less concerned with what Anna saw and more focused on how she processes it. That choice gives the horror depth. Guilt becomes the ghost, silence becomes the weapon, and regret is the fuel that keeps the haunting alive. The decision to externalize these emotions into something chasing her is bold and makes for some unnerving sequences, especially as dreams blur into life.

One of the strongest supporting elements is the relationship between Anna and her grandmother, played by S. Epatha Merkerson. Their connection is slow to build, but it feels natural. There’s no easy reconciliation. Instead, there are glances, hesitations, and a tentative awareness. In these understated exchanges, the film finds moments of genuine intimacy. Merkerson doesn’t overplay anything, which makes her character’s concern all the more believable.

The dialogue avoids overexplaining, letting scenes breathe instead of cramming in exposition. Conversations feel like snapshots—people struggling to say the right thing or retreating into silence. Occasionally, group interactions come off as slightly stilted, with characters delivering lines instead of letting them flow. However, the writing becomes more effective in solo or two-person scenes, allowing pauses and body language to do the work.

Visually, the movie embraces Southern Gothic tones with a modern polish. Swamps, weathered houses, and oppressive humidity create a grounded environment while the dream sequences destabilize it. These visual shifts help reflect Anna’s mental state, making the location part of the emotional storytelling. There’s a careful use of color and shadow that avoids being overbearing but still guides the viewer’s perception.

The climax is where everything comes together. Anna’s final confrontation isn’t just a battle—it’s an emotional exorcism. The real enemy is her inertia and refusal to act when it matters. Peak rises to the occasion, delivering a performance that lets vulnerability and courage sit side by side. It’s less about conquering a monster than facing what she let happen.

As a debut feature, this film shows ambition in all the right places. It leans into its psychological themes without sacrificing mood or momentum. While it could benefit from a few tweaks—mostly in developing its supporting cast and enriching the soundscape—it hits its major emotional and narrative beats.

Ultimately, this story is about the weight of witnessing and the cost of doing nothing. It holds a mirror to inaction, asking the viewer to think about the moments they’ve stood by. And by giving that moral reckoning a nightmarish shape, the story lingers long after its final scene.

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[photo courtesy of VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT, KEY LINE ENTERTAINMENT]

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