FANTASTIC FEST 2026 REVIEW! It’s been a banner year for Internet personalities dipping their toes into the world of cinema. Curry Barker turned heads with his massive horror hit Obsession, while fellow YouTuber Kane Parsons adapted his viral web series into the A24-backed Backrooms. Popular gaming influencer Mark Fischbach (known as Markiplier) even self-financed his own film Iron Lung, which became a box office success thanks to his built-in audience. Now, Seán McLoughlin (known as jacksepticeye) has thrown his hat into the ring, financing and executive producing Godmother, a blood-soaked thriller about a couple on a romantic desert getaway that quickly devolves into a depraved fight for survival.
Theo (Paige Evans) and Colby (Cameron Cuffe) hit the road for their quiet retreat, which is quickly disrupted by the news that Theo has invited her boisterous sister Katie (Riley Dandy) along. Tensions flare between the wealthy, opportunistic, tech-bro boyfriend and the strong-willed sister with a penchant for strong margaritas, putting Theo in the middle. But that would soon be the least of her problems. Lurking in the periphery are Mr. and Mrs. Martinson (Bruce Davison and Dee Wallace), the hands-on vacation rental owners. The filmmakers hint that their motivations are more sinister than meets the eye, and we’d soon find out why. The first half of the film progresses as expected – a creepy atmosphere builds, tension escalates, and then people start to die – but then a twist turns the film on its head. What starts as a straightforward slasher evolves into a genre-bending, supernatural, satanic cult-infused, psychological journey. You’re never quite sure what’ll happen next.
Mrs. Martinson (Dee Wallace) flashes a wide smile inside her vacation rental in Godmother.
“Tensions flare between the wealthy, opportunistic, tech-bro boyfriend and the strong-willed sister with a penchant for strong margaritas, putting Theo in the middle.”
In his promising feature debut, John Veron crafts a haunting, subversive roller coaster ride packed with violence, satanic monsters, and other surprises. As the first characters in the film are killed off-screen, I worried things were headed in a more tame direction. Turns out, Veron was just building the foundation for future chaos. Throughout the first act, the camera wanders throughout the house as if there’s a ghost possessing it. It creeps around corners, revealing clues for where the future darkness would lie. Once the real action begins, all bets are off. There are no more hints, just all-out, bloody insanity. What helps the crazier moments really stand out is the commitment to practical effects, harkening back to the work in the great horror films of the 70s and 80s like Carrie or The Shining, but with its own unique edge. Does it look as realistic as the films aided by extensive digital effects? No. But it certainly makes for a more visceral, shocking, and most of all, fun time.
Veron and Alanah Pearce’s tight, briskly-paced screenplay brings horror audiences exactly what they’re looking for — thrills without much fluff. At the center of it all is a stellar performance from the film’s final girl, Paige Evans. Her character is immediately thrown into conflict between sister and boyfriend, which only escalates from there. As things get intense, her early vulnerability turns into a fierce aggression. She’s not going to give in. Surrounded by an ensemble fully committed to the bit, it’s Davison and Wallace who really stand out as the film’s unexpected villains.
There are forces in this world constantly trying to shape the identities of women. In Godmother, Theo’s autonomy is systematically stripped away by the people she trusts most. Hidden behind the turmoil, monsters, and gore is a much simpler story about one woman’s fight to reclaim her freedom.
"…Veron crafts a haunting, subversive roller coaster ride packed with violence..."
