The Loved Ones (2009) Review – A Brutal and Hilarious Australian Nightmare
Sean Byrne delivers a masterclass in sadistic horror-comedy with The Loved Ones. A stylish, brutal, and brilliantly acted prom-night nightmare from Australia.
Horror Movie Reviews
Welcome to the heart of Knockout Horror. This is where we keep the hundreds of reviews we’ve written over the years. Let’s be honest: the horror genre is a minefield. For every Hereditary, there are a dozen low-budget disasters waiting to waste your Friday night. That’s where we come in.
We watch the good, the bad, and the absolute trash so you don’t have to. From the latest theatrical blockbusters to the obscurest oddities hiding in the depths of Tubi and Shudder, you’ll find our honest, unpretentious, and jargon-free verdicts right here. No film school lectures, just a horror fan telling you if it’s worth the popcorn.
I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016) Review – A Cold, Clever, and Corrosive Cult Hit
Billy O’Brien’s I Am Not a Serial Killer is a genre-bending gem. A slow-burn, snowy character study that mixes sociopathic tendencies with a truly monstrous mystery.
Misery (1990) Review – A Masterclass in Psychological Dread and Obsession
Rob Reiner’s Misery remains the gold standard for Stephen King adaptations. A suffocating, white-knuckle thriller anchored by Kathy Bates’ iconic, terrifying turn.
The Witch (2015) Review – A Haunting and Masterful Folk-Horror Tale
Robert Eggers’ The Witch is a stunning work of historical horror. A slow-burn, atmospheric masterpiece that explores religious paranoia and domestic collapse.
Lake Mungo (2008) Review – A Haunting Masterclass in Grief and Mystery
Joel Anderson’s Lake Mungo is one of the most effective mockumentaries ever made. A profoundly sad and deeply unsettling exploration of grief and hidden secrets.
The Invitation (2015) Review – A Tense and Methodical Descent into Paranoia
Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation is a masterclass in psychological tension. A deliberate, slow-burn thriller that weaponises grief and culminates in an iconic ending.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) Review – A Chilling Masterclass in Medical Dread
André Øvredal delivers a masterclass in claustrophobic dread with The Autopsy of Jane Doe. A visceral, slow-burn horror that turns a medical procedural into a nightmare.
Funny Games (2007) Review – A Cynical and Brutal Lesson in Nihilism
Michael Haneke’s Funny Games is a cold, clinical deconstruction of media violence. A nihilistic exercise in dread that wags its finger at the viewer.
Wake Wood (2009) Review – A Gritty and Visceral Irish Folk-Horror Tale
Wake Wood is a gritty, atmospheric retelling of the classic cautionary tale. A Hammer Horror production that mixes pagan ritual with the visceral dread of grief.
V/H/S (2012) Review – A Gritty and Visceral Found Footage Time Capsule
V/H/S is a landmark in found footage history. A brutal, hyper-sexualised, and uneven anthology that launched a franchise and showcased the future of horror.
Exhibit A (2007) Review – A Chilling and Hyper-Realistic Descent into Domestic Terror
Exhibit A is a masterclass in domestic horror. A gritty, hyper-realistic found footage film from the UK that documents a family’s collapse with devastating authenticity.
Hellraiser (1987) Review – A Visceral and Transgressive Masterpiece of Flesh
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser is a dark, brooding, and transgressive masterpiece. A unique 80s horror that trades slasher clichés for a visceral study of desire and pain.
