Don’t Trip (2025) Horror Movie Review - Is it sure-footed enough to recommend?

Welcome to Knockout Horror. There’s a little bit of inner turmoil taking place in today’s movie, the most recent addition to Tubi’s ever-growing horror library Don’t Trip (2025). A huge part of it is just dying to be a satirical take on the woes of trying to make it in Hollywood. Remember Somnium (2024)? There’s another part of it, however, that really wants to be an exploration of psychopathy featuring a killer bad guy taking his problems out on the people around him. This leads to something of an inner turmoil in me, your humble horror reviewer. I have to ask, will horror fans actually enjoy it? Let’s take a look.

The story follows scriptwriter Dev (Matthew Sato). Dev aspires to make it in Hollywood and is willing to do just about anything to get his latest project brought to the big screen. Desperate for exposure, he steps out of his comfort zone and heads to a party where he believes he can make a few connections.

While there, he meets Trip (Will Sennett) who just so happens to be the son of a big Hollywood producer. Attempting to befriend him in the hopes of getting a chance to plug his script. Dev realises he may have made a huge mistake when Trip seems to be just a little off the rails.

It’s another “trying to make it in Hollywood” horror movie… Or is it?

The identity crisis starts almost immediately for Don’t Trip. The implication is that this is a movie willing to go to some dark places. I mean, just look at that ultra-spoilery cover. The truth is, however, for the most part, director Alex Kugelman has crafted an all-out odd-couple-style comedy.

Dev is pretty straight-laced, timid, and just a little bit anxious. Trip, on the other hand, is your quintessential spoiled rich kid. He has spent his entire life getting everything he wants and flip-flopping in and out of rehab. The two couldn’t be more different. The dynamic between these two juxtaposed personalities provides the backbone of the story.

This is where I think a few people will start to feel just a little bit confused and thrown off. Describing Don’t Trip as a black comedy makes perfect sense. For all intents and purposes, that’s what it is and anyone looking for that will be very satisfied. To classify it as a horror is where the problems begin.

For the majority of the film, there’s no horror at all… Like, literally nothing. This is, first-and-foremost, a comedy movie and it’s easy to see people feeling a bit wanting when it comes to scares. Things do switch up later on but enjoyment of this film is very much predicated on a desire to laugh at awkward interactions between two very different individuals.

Does the comedy work?

The comedy elements work pretty well. I mean, I wouldn’t say it is breaking new ground but Sennett and Sato are capable enough performers to make it work. The pair develop quite the codependent relationship.

Trip is bold and eccentric as well as being quick to anger. Dev is far more reserved and considered which places him thoroughly outside of his comfort zone as he attempts to court Trip’s attention. Dev’s timid reaction every time Trip’s fervent temper comes to the fore is always worth a chuckle.

His ultimate goal is to pitch his script to Trip so that he will present it to his dad. This forces him into an endless loop of tolerating his outbursts while waiting for the perfect chance to broach the subject. I wouldn’t say it’s uproariously funny by any stretch but certain moments work really well. Fans of buddy movies will definitely appreciate the vibe.

Kugelman is clearly a capable filmmaker that has managed to put together a film that doesn’t feel as low budget as it probably is. The frequent appearance of some terrible audio hissing does serve to remind you every now and then but, for the most part, this is a well shot picture. There’s some solid camerawork, scene setups are carefully thought out, and actors seem well focused and aware of their character’s motivations.

There’s that tiny hint at the potential for Don’t Trip to become a bit of a cult favourite. Thanks in part to the chemistry and dynamic between the two leads and the almost road-trip vibe. I might be way off but I felt the influence of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in some of the pair’s shenanigans. Maybe even a touch of The Big Lebowski?

So where is the horror at?

Around the halfway point, it’s difficult not to wonder where the hell the horror is. I actually went back to the movie’s synopsis to check whether I had put the right film on. It was so far away from horror that I felt legitimately confused.

This isn’t to say I wasn’t enjoying the movie. I just expected something that wasn’t about to rear its head for at least another twenty minutes. Once the horror does arrive, it’s your fairly typical “hostage-and-tormentor” type of captive-thriller scenario. Again, nothing overly new but it’s fine, for the most part.

Dev and Trip’s relationship takes something of a predictable turn and it all culminates in a fourth-wall-breaking smile at the camera. I suppose it’s slightly anticlimactic but there really was only a few ways this could go, given the plot. In my opinion, I felt as though it was a satisfying conclusion and the open ended nature worked.

I find it hard not to compliment Kugelman for trying something different. It is all too easy to go the slasher route when crafting a low-budget horror. This is something altogether more unique that blends two distinctly different styles of film into one. I can really appreciate the vision.

Probably not enough horror for a lot of horror fans

My main complaint regarding Don’t Trip would simply be down to my overall feeling of apathy regarding the events taking place. I don’t really know whether I managed to invest in the characters enough to actually care. Dev seems almost as vapid and surface-deep as Trip, just in a different way.

My favourite character was actually Dev’s girlfriend Monica and I really wish she had more time on screen. Olivia Rouyre’s performance is so multilayered and believable that I was left genuinely surprised. Particularly so given how small the role was. Monica, quite rightly, does not trust Trip.

In one monologue, where she tries to bring Dev to his senses, Rouyre manages to portray the character’s frustration in an immensely convincing manner. Feeling every bit the tired partner who is sick of watching her boyfriend chasing shattered dreams while she picks up the pieces. She shows tons of promise and I can’t wait to see her in future projects. It was fun to see Fred Melamed in a small role, too.

This is one of those movies that’s almost difficult to discuss constructively because I am not sure who it is intended for. The problem is, horror-buffs (rightly!) demand scares, and Don’t Trip just doesn’t really deliver on them. I actually really enjoyed it but horror fans will almost certainly feel short-changed. It’s just such a minor part of the story. Keep that in mind when going in.

I think the movie would have benefited from, perhaps, being shaved down by about fifteen minutes, too. I felt like the middle section dragged just a little. With that being said, it’s difficult not to appreciate the enjoyable gonzo script, great performances, and solid direction.

Should You Watch Don’t Trip?

If you are a dark comedy fan who enjoys a bit of horror thrown in for good measure, you will likely have a really good time with Don’t Trip. The odd-couple, buddy comedy stuff is a lot of fun and the horror element is just fleshed out enough to please genre fans. The movie’s littered with great performances and director Alex Kugelman shows a huge amount of promise with regards to both the script and the filmmaking aspect. The thing I appreciated most about this movie, however, was the sheer balls it took to do something different, even when the budget might not match the vision. I’m looking forward to seeing much more from Kugelman in the future. It’s free on Tubi right now.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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