Ice Cream Man (2026) Review – It’s Just a Sticky Mess

Welcome to Knockout Horror and to our review of Eli Roth’s latest splatter-horror Ice Cream Man (2026). So, there aren’t too many horror movies released this year that have caused quite the level of controversy that this one has. We are going to talk all about that but, first thing is first, don’t waste your money paying for a cinema ticket to see how bad it is. Let’s explain why.

So Much Controversy

I have to be honest, I was looking forward to this film. I rewatched Eli Roth’s tasteless, but weirdly fun, debut, Hostel, last October and really enjoyed it. Considering he had knocked it out of the park with the fantastic Thanksgiving in 2023, I figured he had rediscovered his ability to craft legitimately watchable horror flicks. Boy was I wrong!

“Roth has chosen to dot generative AI visuals throughout the film. Even worse? He denied it”

Now, Ice Cream Man’s premise isn’t exactly fantastic but it’s not the real problem, here. The story takes place in an idyllic suburban town that absolutely reeks of the American dream. Kids frolic in the streets, lawns are perfectly manicured, and the parents are well to do.

All of that bliss comes crashing down, however, when a mysterious ice cream man begins selling treats that turn the children into bloodthirsty maniacs.

Getting the obvious out of the way with first, it’s not a hugely original plot but it is a decent enough setup for some gory carnage.

So what’s the big deal? Well, aside from the fact that the movie is, quite simply, pretty wank, Roth has chosen to dot generative AI visuals throughout the film. Even worse? He denied it only to walk it back later on. Ouch!

A huge misstep

Now, it goes without saying that the use of generative AI is a hot button topic at the moment. I’ve actually just gone into detail about how Eli Roth’s use of AI is a terrible sign of things to come, so I won’t rant about it too much here. Needless to say, it’s a concerning development.

“This is Roth at his most derivative and lacking in imagination.”

So the big question is, how bad is it? Well, to be perfectly honest, there’s probably not as much of it as you might expect. Roth has only admitted to using it for a few background scenes but I would suggest that is a crock of shit.

There’s an animated section that looks like it is probably AI, I am kinda suss about an entire scene relating the backstory of the character, too. There are also a few scenes, here and there, that have that weird, glossy AI uncanniness about them but it’s not enormously glaring.

I think the bigger issue with Ice Cream Man is simply the fact that the movie isn’t very good and Roth tried to deny it. Whatever good graces he earned for being a horror vet totally evaporated when he refused to own up to the blunder.

It stands to reason, as well, that people are going to feel disappointed at the missed opportunities for people who could have made money working on this movie. The animation section stands out, in particular, because even bad movies like Friend Request featured some exceptional animated sequences that remain memorable.

The bigger issue

If Ice Cream Man was a decent film, I think people may have accepted the usage of AI just a little more, but it is a million miles away from that.

This is Roth at his most derivative and lacking in imagination. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if AI had a hand in helping him to write this story.

Roth clearly set out with one mission goal here and that was to offend. Whether he was doing that with the use of crass humour or simply gallons of blood really doesn’t matter. Ice Cream Man is splatter at its most generic.

Heads are cut open and brains scooped out, numerous people are beheaded, intestines are pulled out and wrapped around necks, but none of it is ever likely to inspire anything other than a chuckle.

Everything is so generic, right down to the villain himself. The titular antagonist here has an extremely thin backstory that offers him virtually no personality beyond looking like a throwback to a 50s ice cream parlour worker.

He’s completely mute and I think this was done purely so that Roth could rip off Art The Clown with exaggerated mimes. The problem there is that the ice cream man lacks 99% of Art’s personality.

I doubt anyone wants to know more about this character and the only really good thing I can say about him is that his appearances are mercifully fleeting. This character actually speaks to some of the tonal confusion present with this movie.

It’s weirdly confused

Ice Cream Man really doesn’t know what it wants to be. The majority of the film focuses on a group of kids attempting to escape the school that’s currently overrun with murderous children.

“I was really looking forward to Ice Cream Man, but there’s no way I can recommend it on any level. It’s just an incredibly bland and enormously dull splatter”

This lends the narrative an almost Goonies-like sense of adventure that may just appeal to kids but likely won’t land with adults.

This takes place against a background of graphic violence that can best be described as a Terrifier rip-off without the creativity. Violence that was instigated by a character with a backstory that’s similar to Freddy Kruger’s (though less sinister), all perpetrated by a group of bad guys that are somewhere between Children of the Corn and Weapons.

I’m not sure whether Roth brings a single original idea to this movie, at all. Again, this is why the film feels AI generated. Everything is a copy of something else that came before it.

It could have been fun

It really wouldn’t be so bad if Roth kept his tongue in his cheek and made the movie legitimately funny and self aware, but it just isn’t.

The script is incredibly weak, the characters are two dimensional and not very interesting, and the splatter is so excessive that it becomes boring and repetitive within twenty minutes. there’s no real laughs and most of the attempts at humour don’t land at all.

There’s a real air of “how do you do fellow kids” about it that has Roth feeling a million miles away from the director that brought us the excellent Thanksgiving. It’s out of touch and a bit corny, a fact that is only underlined by a cheesy guest spot for Roth himself that just falls flat.

You know what the worst thing of all, is? It’s not even so bad that it’s good. It’s acted and directed just well enough to stop it being unintentionally hilarious.

It’s just a bad movie that is a serious disappointment. I was really looking forward to Ice Cream Man, but there’s no way I can recommend it on any level. It’s just an incredibly bland and enormously dull splatter that serves only to waste your time.

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.