Messy, Unpredictable, and Completely Its Own Thing

MOVIE REVIEW
Mermaid
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Genre: Action, Comedy, Horror
Year Released: 2025, 2026
Runtime: 1h 45m
Director(s): Tyler Cornack
Writer(s): Tyler Cornack
Cast: Johnny Pemberton, Avery Potemri, Kevin Nealon, Kirk Fox, Julia Larson, Devyn McDowell, Tom Arnold, Robert Patrick, Kevin Dunn
Where to Watch: in select theaters April 8, 2026

RAVING REVIEW: MERMAID wastes absolutely no time making it clear that this isn’t going to be a whimsical fantasy or some offbeat romantic creature feature. It drops you into the life of a man who’s already falling apart, then pushes him even further when the impossible enters that chaos. What follows isn’t a story about wonder or discovery, but about desperation, obsession, and the fragile line between purpose and self-destruction. Whatever your expectations, this will meet you on a different level.

Johnny Pemberton carries the entire film, and the success of MERMAID hinges almost entirely on whether you can stay locked into his performance. He plays Doug as a complete mess without turning him into a caricature. There’s an unpredictability to him that keeps you on edge, but also just enough vulnerability to make you understand why he clings so tightly to the one thing that gives his life meaning. It’s not always easy to watch, but it’s rarely uninteresting. That’s praise and a strength that not many films can claim.

The film’s biggest swing comes from its portrayal of the mermaid. Anyone expecting something traditionally beautiful or even remotely romantic will be caught off guard. This version is raw, unsettling, and closer to something you’d find in a nightmare than a fairy tale. That decision immediately shifts the film's tone, turning what could have been quirky into something far more uncomfortable and, at times, genuinely disturbing. It’s not the first time that a mermaid has been portrayed like this, but there’s something deeper here than just a ‘monster.’

That discomfort extends to the relationship at the center of the story. There’s nothing sentimental about it. It’s messy, one-sided, and often difficult to interpret. Doug projects meaning onto something that may or may not exist, and the film never simplifies that dynamic for the audience. Instead, it lets the ambiguity sit there, which makes the entire experience feel more grounded, even when the premise itself is anything but.

Where MERMAID really finds its identity is in its tone. It walks a strange line between a twisted dark comedy and a psychological spiral, often leaning into absurdity without fully committing to it. Some moments feel ridiculous, but they’re surrounded by material that’s far more grounded and, at times, uncomfortable. That push-and-pull won’t work for everyone, but it does give the film a personality hard to ignore. At the same time, that balancing act isn’t always consistent. There are stretches where the humor undercuts the tension, and others where the darker elements overshadow moments that seem designed to land differently.

The supporting cast adds to the world, even if they don’t always have the space to develop fully. Characters drift in and out of Doug’s journey, reinforcing how disconnected he is from everything around him. Robert Patrick brings a presence that contrasts nicely with the chaos, while Kevin Nealon and Tom Arnold add to the film’s offbeat vibes in ways that feel like they just exist here rather than being forced.

What keeps everything from falling apart is the film’s commitment to itself. It never backs away from how strange or uncomfortable the situation becomes. Instead of softening the edges, it leans into them, allowing the story to evolve in ways that feel inevitable. Even when it gets weird, and it absolutely does, it stays locked into the world it’s created.

There’s also something worth noting about how the film handles isolation. Despite the presence of other characters, MERMAID feels incredibly contained, almost claustrophobic at times. Doug’s world shrinks as his focus narrows, and the film mirrors that shift in a way that makes his decisions feel both frustrating and understandable.

Where the film struggles most is in maintaining momentum across its runtime. The premise is strong, and the characters are without question compelling, but there are moments when the story feels like it's chasing itself again without really advancing the story. It doesn’t derail the experience, but it does create the sense that the film could have benefited from a tighter edit without losing anything essential.

The film manages to overcome this pretty easily, though. MERMAID sticks with you. Not because it tries to overwhelm you, but because of how specific and unapologetic it is in what it’s doing. It doesn’t want to be something for everyone, and it doesn’t try to. It tells a story about a broken person finding meaning in something equally broken, and it commits to that idea all the way through. If you’re willing to meet it where it is, there’s a strange, uncomfortable, and at times surprisingly human story buried beneath its more chaotic surface.

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[photo courtesy of XYZ FILMS, UTOPIA, BAD GREY, CANDY PICTURES, PILOT MOON FILMS]

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