22 Nov 2025, Sat

Keeper Review: Osgood Perkins’ Hypnotic Blend of Relationship Drama and Horror

Keeper Review- Osgood Perkins' Hypnotic Blend of Relationship Drama and Horror HORROR MOVIE REVIEW
Keeper Review: Osgood Perkins' Hypnotic Blend of Relationship Drama and Horror

Following his 2024 hit Longlegs, director Osgood Perkins continues to hone his unique brand of atmospheric horror with Keeper. Like its predecessor, which was praised for its slow-burning dread and hypnotically creepy aesthetic, Keeper trades jump scares for a deep-seated sense of paranoia. The film sees Perkins returning to the familiar ground of a secluded, unsettling setting where a couple’s romantic getaway descends into a sorrowful charade. For fans of Longlegs‘ unsettling tone and visual style, Keeper promises another masterful exercise in sustained tension, cementing Perkins’ status as a modern master of sophisticated horror.

Keeper Review: Osgood Perkins’ Hypnotic Blend of Relationship Drama and Horror

Keeper Review: Osgood Perkins' Hypnotic Blend of Relationship Drama and Horror

Terrifying visions plague a free-spirited artist when she travels to a secluded cabin with the doctor she’s been dating for one year.

Release date: 14 November 2025

Director: Osgood Perkins

Producers: Jesse SavathChris Ferguson

A Horror Movie Review by Hope Madden

Osgood Perkins is the gift that keeps on giving. In just 16 months he’s turned out three wildly different gems and a fourth is filming now. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves because we’d run the risk of under appreciating his latest, Keeper.

Tatiana Maslany (She-Hulk) is Liz, a New York City artist anxiously headed to her first ever cabin in the woods style excursion. She’s not really a country person, and she thinks maybe the fact that her soft-spoken doctor boyfriend Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland) gifted her a beige cardigan for their first big trip together might be a red flag. She’s afraid he’s married and she’s a side piece.

There’s something melancholy and broken and exquisite in the way these two actors play characters playing roles. Malcolm hangs Liz’s painting in his home and cooks and behaves romantically while looking as if he’s crushed under some sorrowful weight. Meanwhile Liz’s words and expressions never match, one cheerful while the other is tearful or vice versa. It’s an exquisite performance of two people pretending to be a happy couple when, indeed, perhaps their romance is a fraud.

The Heart and Soul of Horror Review Websites. Keeper Review: Osgood Perkins' Hypnotic Blend of Relationship Drama and Horror

This doleful charade nurtures an atmosphere of paranoia gorgeously amplified by Perkins’s hypnotically creepy aesthetic. The architecture of dark magic recalls his underseen Gretel & Hansel and show-don’t-tell exposition occasionally conjures I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House.

Perkins did not write Keeper, and there are times when his unsettling direction can’t quite overcome screenwriter Nick Lepard’s haphazard mythology. There’s a disquieting relationship analogy at work that does work, much thanks to Maslany’s gripping turn. Her commitment to this character’s experience elevates scenes that could otherwise have nearly felt unintentionally funny. But you never doubt Liz.

Keeper turns monster movie perhaps too abruptly and not as convincingly as it might have. For that and a couple of other reasons, the third act feels a bit cheap after such a trippy lead up. But it’s a gorgeous exercise in isolated horror and reason enough to remain excited for Perkins’s next movie.

Horror Movie Reviews on Ginger Nuts of Horror

Horror movie fans looking to deepen their appreciation for the genre should definitely check out the Horror Movie Review section of Ginger Nuts of Horror. This platform is a treasure trove of insights, critiques, and discussions that resonate with both casual viewers and dedicated aficionados alike.

Firstly, the reviews are penned by passionate writers who understand the intricacies of horror filmmaking. They delve deep into the elements that make each film unique, from unsettling visuals to compelling sound design, offering a comprehensive analysis that goes beyond superficial impressions. Such in-depth reviews can enhance viewers’ understanding and appreciation of the genre, revealing layers of meaning and intention that may go unnoticed during a first watch.

Lastly, with its focus on both mainstream and indie films, the Horror Movie Review section is an excellent resource to stay updated on upcoming releases and trends in the horror landscape. For any horror buff, exploring The Ginger Nuts of Horror Review Website is an essential step toward a deeper connection with the genre.

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Author

  • hope-madden

    Hope Madden, a graduate of The Ohio State University, is an author and filmmaker.

    In addition to 12 years at the independent weekly newspaper The Other Paper, Hope has written for Columbus Monthly Magazine, The Ohio State University Alumni Magazine, and is a published poet. Her first novel, Roost, is out now, as is the anthology Incubate, which includes her short story “Aggrieved.” She recently wrote and directed Obstacle Corpse, the first feature film from MaddWolf Productions! She also writes for Columbus Underground and the UK Film Review.

    In Central Ohio, you can catch Hope on TV every Friday morning on ABC6/Fox28’s Good Day Columbus.

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By Hope Madden

Hope Madden, a graduate of The Ohio State University, is an author and filmmaker.In addition to 12 years at the independent weekly newspaper The Other Paper, Hope has written for Columbus Monthly Magazine, The Ohio State University Alumni Magazine, and is a published poet. Her first novel, Roost, is out now, as is the anthology Incubate, which includes her short story “Aggrieved.” She recently wrote and directed Obstacle Corpse, the first feature film from MaddWolf Productions! She also writes for Columbus Underground and the UK Film Review.In Central Ohio, you can catch Hope on TV every Friday morning on ABC6/Fox28’s Good Day Columbus.