New Fears Eve (2025) Review – A Bloody Good Time

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at, what can best be described as, a proper b-movie – New Fears Eve (2025). You can find this movie on Screambox right now.

A Throwback to a Bygone Horror Era

I will preface this whole review by saying that New Fears Eve is not a movie for those of you seeking top tier horror with a concrete plot and expert pacing. This is one of those movies that’s rough around the edges, a little bit silly, and completely unashamed of what it is – a proper b-movie. It actually takes me back to the 90s in a lot of ways.

Dragging a (responsible) adult along to the local video rental store, pocket money in hand. Walking straight past the new releases and hitting the bottom shelf where the bargain rentals are. Crouching down to scan the tapes before picking out the film with the most outlandish cover. This is where you would find the buried treasure.

Titles like Rabid Grannies (1988), Basket Case (1982), and Death Bed: The Bed That Eats (1977). They weren’t great movies but they were made by people with the wonderfully deluded belief that a distinct lack of budget could be made up for with enthusiasm and a healthy dose of the red stuff. Nowadays, rental stores are gone and it’s places like Tubi and Screambox that we haunt looking for these gems.

“This is one of those movies that’s rough around the edges, a little bit silly, and completely unashamed of what it is – a proper b-movie.”

New Fears Eve ticks all of those boxes. Every flaw has been lightly sanded down by a ridiculously enjoyable kill and an extra helping of blood and intestines. Nobody will ever say it is perfect but it is a hell of a lot of fun. The plot is simple slasher-meat: a group of office workers find their corporate New Year’s Eve bash gatecrashed by a notorious killer known as The Doctor (Jesse McDonald). Chaos, naturally, ensues.

Now that your expectations are aligned…

When I talk about low-budget horror, I always mention how important it is to correctly align your expectations. Now that you know what you are getting into here, we can talk about the film. B-movie slashers absolutely live or die on their kills. It’s the most imperative thing by a long shot and that’s where New Fears Eve succeeds enormously.

Directed by the duo of P.J. Starks and Eric Huskisson, who previously worked together as directors on individual segments of the Christmas Anthology horror 13 Slays Till Xmas. The directive here was clear; make the kills utterly ridiculous and aim to shock. The film opens up with a montage of ultra violence that perfectly sets the tone. Eyes are pulled out, faces are de-gloved, and necks are ripped apart.

Violence is something that this film does extremely well. There’s limited room for innovation in the slasher genre but I felt as though this movie featured more than a handful of kills that surprised me. One involving a toilet and someone’s insides had me laughing my ass off and I actually winced a couple of times, here and there. It’s insanely enjoyable stuff.

The practical effects are utterly fantastic, too; the team were in their bag when it comes to the blood and guts. Sure, everything is very meaty and the blood flows, perhaps, a little too enthusiastically but that’s exactly what you want. Again, New Fears Eve knows what it wants to be and remembers that b-movies are supposed to be ruthlessly over the top. Speaking of over the top, that extends to our killer, too.

“The film opens up with a montage of ultra violence that perfectly sets the tone. Eyes are pulled out, faces are de-gloved, and necks are ripped apart.”

He wears a plague doctor get up, hence ‘The Doctor’ moniker. Well, that and the surgical precision with which he dispatches of his victims and removes their vital organs. It’s a recognisable look that could easily be used for sequels, prequels, marketing, whatever. That’s always important for a slasher villain; particularly where lower budget films are concerned.

It’s not going to be for everyone

Focusing on the kills and violence early was an enormously smart decision. It provides a hook to hold onto when the weaker parts of the film threaten to dilute the fun. The setup here is probably the movie’s weakest element. Let’s be honest: office relationships, crude humour, divisive characters, some weak acting; it’s a hard sell for some.

That’s the ball and chain that tends to come along with the limitations of low-budget horror. Some people are going to find the less action focused scenes tough to get through. There’s a devoted commitment to Marmite humour that might divide viewers just a little, too. I found it legitimately funny but my humour does lean towards the crass, at times. Others will probably roll their eyes at the repeated dick jokes and playground humour.

The story isn’t really all that compelling, either, an issue that is compounded by a decently long runtime. There’s a budding relationship side plot, the dodgy and over-demanding boss, the dynamics between the coworkers… It’s not the most obvious slasher setting but also not the most interesting.

There’s a bit too much going on and nowhere near enough backstory surrounding our diligent doctor. He sort of exists as a chaotic force of evil with no rhyme or reason which is a bit disappointing. I would have liked some more character development.

A really notable cast

Pivoting back to that point on acting, this is an incredibly noteworthy cast, all things considered. I always love seeing Siren’s Hannah Fierman who is cementing her scream queen reputation with a legendary run in low-budget films. Sleepaway Camp’s Felissa Rose is here and hamming it up in the most delightful way; she’s utterly awesome.

“Just keep in mind that this is a b-movie and you will know what to expect. Grab some drinks and snacks, turn off your brain, and have a good time.”

Dave Sheridan (Doofy in Scary Movie) continues building his horror resume and seems to be having a ton of fun and Final Destination writer Jeffrey Reddick even makes an appearance. It’s a who’s-who for classic horror fans and there’s a ton of blink and you’ll miss it references to genre films scattered throughout.

The younger members of the cast struggle on occasion; there’s that distinct ‘flatness’ and lack of enthusiasm that comes as a bi-product of inexperience. Some of the vets absolutely eat them alive when sharing the screen. I think Lily-Claire Harvey shows a lot of potential and I could definitely see her carving out a very nice career. Maybe even as a scream queen.

None of the issues are movie-ruining but it would be irresponsible of me to not mention them. Just keep in mind that this is a b-movie and you will know what to expect. Grab some drinks and snacks, turn off your brain, and have a good 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.