Soul Snatchers (2026) Review
Soul Snatchers (2026) Review
A man discovers the remote island from his childhood has succumbed to a sinister, unseen darkness threatening to destroy his family in new chiller thriller that weaves the spiritual and the supernatural
Billed as a supernatural thriller, Soul Snatchers, from director Julio Roman, is set to make its UK digital debut on 31 August courtesy of Seven Tales. The marketing promises an “enthralling, spooky, spiritual, spine tingler”. In truth, it is none of those things. That, however, doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t any good.
Soul Snatchers is a much gentler proposition than the marketing would have you believe. Rather than delivering scares or genuine thrills, it settles into a more subdued supernatural tale, and while it may not be particularly spooky or spine-tingling, there is enough here to make it a mildly diverting watch.
One of the film’s more enjoyable aspects is its villains, who are deliciously overripe and clearly having fun with the material. They provide some welcome theatricality and give the film a sense of character, even if the surrounding story doesn’t always match their energy.
The biggest issue is the film’s reliance on one plot device. Emmanuel is repeatedly told that someone knows his mother, that his mother is nearby, or some variation thereof. I understand the intention: the villains are dangling the possibility of being reunited with his mother in front of him, enticing him further into their world. The problem is that the carrot is dangled so frequently that it eventually becomes tiresome.
After hearing essentially, the same tease repeatedly, I found myself wishing Emmanuel would simply turn around and shout, “Well, if you know where she is, let me see her!” It is a device that works initially but becomes increasingly frustrating through repetition.
Despite its shortcomings, there is a certain charm to Soul Snatchers. Those expecting the spooky, spiritual and spine-tingling experience promised by the marketing may well be disappointed but approach it as a low-key supernatural tale rather than a full-blooded thriller and there is enough here to provide a mildly entertaining watch.
It may not snatch your soul, but it should at least manage to hold your attention.
