Movies
The Killing Gene (WAZ) (V)
“If you’re one of those who w∆z equally as miffed by the ham-fisted social commentary in DIARY OF THE DEAD, odds are you’ll be equally offended by THE KILLING GENE. However, it certainly has enough appeal to make for a watchable, if not average, viewing experience.”
Despite the overwhelming amount of evidence, THE KILLING GENE, aka W∆Z, carries only a passing resemblance to SAW. It’s true, the killer uses homemade torture devices and the gore is plentiful in certain sequences but the plot doesn’t play second fiddle to the murderous mayhem our killer bestows upon the wicked. And since the torture isn’t the main focus, its much more effective (and painful) when it actually occurs. In fact, the film actually has more in common with SE7EN and although it isn’t nearly as good, it certainly manages to blur the line between police-thriller and horror in a similar fashion.
Stellan Skarsgård and Melissa George star as Eddie Argo and Helen Westcott, two detectives who are investigating a series of murders striking New York City. The victims are all dispatched in a similar fashion of torturous methods and have the mathematical phrase “w∆z” carved into their skin. Finding trace elements of an animal tranquilizer after a toxicology report, in a scene hearkening back to the glory days of THE X-FILES, the two detectives are off to an animal testing facility, where they discover the meaning behind the strange carvings (the Price equation) and the identity of the killer, who happens to be the victim from a case in Argo’s past. Police corruption, a bungled investigation and a heavy handed message pad out the last two acts of the film, as our heroes and antiheroes race towards a grisly climax.
What’s particularly interesting about the story progression in THE KILLING GENE is that you are given almost all of the pieces of the puzzle in the first act. The killer’s identity and motivation is spelled out almost right off the bat, giving you, faithful viewer, a chance to reflect on the tension in the police department and what they’re hiding from each other. I will be honest though: considering I knew nothing about this film in the slightest, the one curve ball the film does try to toss your way is painfully obvious, considering they all but spell it out for you in a scene early on. I’d compare it to something along the lines of PROFONDO ROSSO, in that its all there for you to catch at first glance but its blink-and-you’ll-miss.
Skarsgård, unsurprisingly, puts in a dark and engaging performance and carries the film almost entirely, while George goes into “deer-in-headlights” mode, but somehow manages to be convincing enough foil to her male counterpart. The supporting cast is uneven, ranking from embarrassing to adequate, most notably Selma Blair, who isn’t given much screen time or a lot to work with but seems to have a lot of fun with her role.
The film carries a grungy atmosphere, thanks to cinematographer Morten Søborg, who was clearly going for a SE7EN-ish presentation with minimal natural lighting. What his presentation can’t make up for is the awful doubling Belfast does for New York City, which is one of the most unseemless location melding I’ve bore witness too. Despite that though, every moment of the film is dirty and dank, to the point where I could’ve sworn I was right there along with Argo and Westcott, smelling the stale air of the projects.
If you’re one of those who w∆z equally as miffed by the ham-fisted social commentary in DIARY OF THE DEAD, odds are you’ll be equally offended by THE KILLING GENE. However, it certainly has enough appeal to make for a watchable, if not average, viewing experience.
This week kicked off with the release of hippo horror movie Hungry at home, and four more horror movies have arrived for at-home viewing as we head into the final weekend of June.
Here are the new horror movies that released on Friday, June 26, 2026!
The Halloween season can no longer be contained to the months of September and October, with “Summerween” becoming a thing in recent years. Essentially, it allows for Halloween to bleed into the warmer Summer months, and the first ever Summerween movie has arrived.
The Asylum released Summerween onto Digital outlets today.
In the film from writer/director Ryan Ebert, “On Summerween, a former circus clown escapes a mental institution to return to his abandoned mansion and hunt the teens partying there.”
Cole Chapleski, Chase Breithoff, Logan Roe, Sophia Sabol, and Clint Morrison star.
Director Ryan Ebert is the man behind a string of recent indie horrors we’ve covered, including Shark Side of the Moon, The Jolly Monkey, Jurassic Reborn, and Predator: Wastelands.
A witchy coming-of-age story from Dark Sky Films, Camp is now playing in select theaters.
Check your local listings to find a theater near you.
Camp is from writer-director Avalon Fast (Honeycomb, The Serpent’s Skin).
“Emily is the root cause of two devastating tragedies very early in her life, and she feels the weight of these accidents as though cursed. At her father’s suggestion, she takes a position at a summer camp for troubled youth to ease her guilt. When Emily arrives, she is welcomed by the other counselors, who accept her as she is and surround her with peace and forgiveness.
“As Emily begins to believe in a new kind of life, she starts to hear a voice whispering from deep in the woods — one that urges her to go home, and one that may be impossible to ignore.”
The film stars Zola Grimmer in her screen debut alongside Alice Wordsworth, Cherry Moore, Lea Rose Sebastianis (Castration Movie Part 1 & 2, In A Violent Nature), Ella Reece, Austyn Van de Kamp (This Too Shall Pass), Sophie Bawks-Smith (Honeycomb), Izza Jarvis, and Aiden Laudersmith.
Producers Tyler Perry and Jason Blum have joined forces for Peacock Original Strung.
The film is now streaming only on Peacock.
“A talented violinist takes a prestigious job as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of an influential and enigmatic family. As she becomes entangled in their opulent world, unsettling secrets begin to surface, forcing her to question her safety, her dreams, and even her sanity.”
Malcolm D. Lee (Scary Movie 5, Space Jam: A New Legacy) directs from a script written by Alan B. McElroy (Wrong Turn, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers).
Chloe Bailey (“Swarm“), Lynn Whitfield (Jaws: The Revenge), Lucien Laviscount (“Scream Queens”), Anna Diop (Us), Coco Jones (Vampires vs. the Bronx), Langley Kirkwood (“Banshee”), and Romy Woods star in Peacock’s Strung.
Produced by Diablo Cody, director Meredith Alloway’s Forbidden Fruits brought a new coven of witches to the big screen earlier this year, and it’s now streaming on Shudder.
Lola Tung (“The Summer I Turned Pretty”), Victoria Pedretti (“The Haunting of Hill House”), Alexandra Shipp (Tragedy Girls), Gabrielle Union (Breaking In), and Emma Chamberlain star in Forbidden Fruits, released by IFC and Shudder.
Free Eden employee Apple secretly runs a witchy femme cult in the basement of the mall store after hours. But when new hire Pumpkin challenges the group’s ‘girl boss’ ways, the women are forced to face their own poisons or succumb to a bloody fate.
“Forbidden Fruits grabbed me by the neck the very first time I read it,” Diablo Cody said. “It’s one of the craziest, most creative, beautifully bonkers projects I’ve ever worked on.”
Meagan Navarro writes in her review for Bloody Disgusting, “Forbidden Fruits may not necessarily forge new terrain in the teen satire space, but Alloway brings so much style and energy to her well-cast single-location stage play adaptation for the Gen Z crowd.”
The film is an adaptation of playwright Lily Houghton’s stage play Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin and Through Her We All Die. Alloway and Houghton co-adapted.
This week’s new release roundups are presented by HUNGRY.
All aboard the swamp tour from hell – this hippo isn’t playing games…
HUNGRY is now available on Digital. Watch it now!
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