‘Psycho Killer’ Review: ‘Seven’ Writer Returns With Serial Killer Misfire

It’s exciting to have Andrew Kevin Walker, the writer of Seven, tackle another serial killer story, especially with a bold title like Psycho Killer. Sadly, the final movie doesn’t live up to expectations and lacks the suspense and depth of his earlier work.

Georgina Campbell plays Jane Archer, a highway patrol officer whose husband is murdered by a serial killer the press calls ‘the Slasher.’ Driven by grief and a thirst for revenge, Jane embarks on a dangerous, unofficial journey across the country to find the killer, James Preston Rogers, and bring him to justice.

Director Gavin Polone is best known for producing comedies, including Curb Your Enthusiasm, though he has also directed TV dramas. While filmmakers like Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger have successfully transitioned from comedy to horror recently, Polone’s Psycho Killer doesn’t make that leap as smoothly. The film feels off from the start, with awkward dialogue and scenes that don’t build tension effectively. For example, a common horror trope – a woman entering a car with a potential killer inside – feels flat and lacks impact. This is a recurring problem throughout the movie; potential scares just don’t deliver the expected jolt.

Beyond everything else, this isn’t one of Walker’s strongest stories. The opening of Psycho Killer immediately establishes a connection to Satanism, both through direct imagery and references to the Satanic Panic of the time, hinting at a film deeply involved with those ideas. Once the killer appears, he’s shown writing disturbing Satanic symbols (with blood, of course) and Jane’s investigation reveals a link to a death metal band. I kept waiting for a twist, because the premise—the killer worships the devil, listens to devil-themed music, and generally loves all things devilish—felt too simple and old-fashioned for a modern horror film. But ultimately, that’s all there is to it.

20th Century Studios

The movie has a surprising reveal in its final act, but it feels forced – like it’s there simply to change the location and increase the tension for the ending. Beyond that, Psycho Killer feels surprisingly shallow and relies on outdated, alarmist tropes. It essentially suggests that the moral panic surrounding Satanism in the past might have been right all along, based on the actions of this character.

Considering everything, you’d expect the movie to deliver on its promise of shocking violence with some really inventive and over-the-top kills. However, while there’s plenty of straightforward brutality with weapons like guns, axes, and hammers, most of it isn’t particularly creative or memorable for a slasher film, even with some wild situations happening. There’s one standout exception, though: a particularly disturbing and twisted fate befalls a priest, and that scene really sticks with you.

With films like Barbarian, Cold Storage, and now Psycho Killer, Campbell is proving herself to be a reliable and consistently strong presence in the horror genre. She portrays Jane with convincing inner strength, even though the role doesn’t offer much complexity. Rogers, a former wrestler playing the title character (credited as Psycho Killer), delivers a powerful physical performance, using his large size to create a menacing presence. Despite always concealing his face with hair or a mask, he effectively conveys simmering rage. However, the choice to have Rogers provide the killer’s voice is odd. It sounds heavily processed and dubbed, which is distracting and makes it seem unnatural – anyone in the film should reasonably question why he sounds that way. While likely intended to be unsettling, the voice ultimately detracts from the performance.

20th Century Studios

Beyond the priest storyline, Psycho Killer has some effective scenes that capitalize on the frightening image of the masked killer pursuing his victims. The film also nicely captures the atmosphere of small-town America as Jane chases the killer across the countryside. Walker and Polone’s comedic timing adds some genuinely funny moments, particularly in a standout sequence at the mansion of Mr. Pendleton, played by Malcolm McDowell. McDowell, a seasoned actor, is a delight, and Logan Miller is great as his assistant. The contrast between everyday objects – like a golf cart and Chinese food containers – and the violence helps reveal how Pendleton operates, creating some surprisingly amusing moments.

Even though that part of the movie is well-done, it feels disconnected from the rest of the film. We quickly return to the weaker main story and its attempted grand finale, which, despite taking place in an unusual setting, feels forced and often silly. The important moments just don’t deliver the impact they should, including the ending.

20th Century Studios

As a film buff, I noticed a lot of obvious ADR – dialogue dubbed in post-production – in several scenes, and it was interesting to see Kevin Greutert, who’s worked on the Saw movies, credited as an “Additional Editor.” It really makes me think the movie went through some significant changes after the initial edit. Unfortunately, even with those efforts, the final product is pretty underwhelming. Only a handful of scenes truly grabbed my attention.

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It’s frustrating that they never use the Talking Heads song, because the film’s title will inevitably make you think of it anyway.

2026-02-20 20:05

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