‘Keeper’ review: Osgood Perkins cabin-in-the-woods chiller is more style than substance

Dir: Osgood Perkins. US. 2025. 1hr 39mins

For his third characteristic launch in 18 months, horror director Osgood Perkins pays a go to to a conventional style setting – the cabin within the woods. However simply as he did together with his earlier two movies Longlegs (a couple of serial killer) and The Monkey (a couple of cursed object), Perkins makes use of this acquainted framework to anchor a slow-burn descent into hell, this time following a romantic weekend turning horrifyingly bitter. It’s actually received the Perkins fashion and loads of real chills, however the journey is extra satisfying than the vacation spot.

Ought to attraction to style followers 

Opening within the US (through Neon) and UK (Black Bear) on November 14 earlier than rolling out throughout varied worldwide territories, the movie ought to attraction to style followers attracted by Perkins’ title and an successfully ambiguous advertising marketing campaign. Keeper ought to do sturdy enterprise in the same ballpark to The Monkey ($69m worldwide) however is unlikely to duplicate the breakout success of Longlegs ($128m worldwide), which featured star names Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe.

The Monkey star Tatiana Maslany (additionally identified for roles in TV reveals Orphan Black and She-Hulk: Lawyer At Legislation) is great as Liz, a no-nonsense girl who really believes she has discovered her soulmate in softly-spoken physician Malcolm (a properly reserved Rossif Sutherland). The couple are spending the weekend in Malcolm’s secluded upstate New York cabin – a formidable if foreboding expanse of wooden and glass. A creepy opening montage, that includes varied more and more distressed girls throughout, seemingly, varied time intervals, is an early indicator that not every part is because it seems. Definitely, the vibe appears off from the second the door shuts behind them.

Very similar to this yr’s Companion, which additionally dismantled a seemingly-perfect relationship over the course of a weekend in an remoted nation residence, purple flags are festooned throughout the display from the beginning. Screenwriter Nick Lepard is on extra nuanced type right here than he was penning the screenplay for current shark-slasher Harmful Animals, subtly twisting Liz and Malcolm’s loved-up vibe by turning such affectionate epithets as “she’s a keeper” into quietly menacing threats.

On this dialogue-light two-hander (Birkett Turton makes a short look as Malcolm’s creepy cousin Darren and Eden Weiss as Darren’s taciturn girlfriend Minka), craft is vital. Cinematography from Jeremy Cox lurks behind corners and makes the a lot of the cabin’s vertiginous angles, whereas a discordant rating from Erdo Van Breemen, which blends shrill strings, tribal drums and breathy human voices, helps set up a rising sense of unease.

It’s rapidly clear that one thing may be very improper and, when Malcolm heads again to the town to see to an ailing affected person, Liz begins to expertise terrifying visions of hideous figures. She feels woozy and discombobulated, not sure of what’s actual, and decides she needs to go away. When Malcolm returns, he clearly doesn’t consider her and – gently however firmly asserting his concern and his love – insists that she keep. Even with out spoilers, most savvy audiences can doubtless guess the route that is finally heading, even when the ultimate reveal makes an attempt to take issues up a notch.

Maslany is excellent as Liz, successfully conveying simply how rapidly a level-headed particular person’s power and independence could be eroded, how coercive management could be an insidious, undermining presence. Elsewhere, results work is excellent and the otherworldly beings are nightmarishly rendered as they hang-out the sides of the body, blur into the background and transfer among the many timber.

Take away all that window dressing, nevertheless, and the movie loses a lot of its energy, its narrative a well-trodden story of a poisonous heterosexual relationship through which one accomplice loses their sense of self, the movie one other instance of feminine victimhood and terror as leisure. And whereas the ending might promise some type of retribution, it’s too little, too late.