Death Cycle (2025) Review
Death Cycle (2025) Review
Directed by Gabriel Carrer (For the Sake of Vicious, The Demolisher), the film made its world premiere at FrightFest UK and later screened at the Sitges Film Festival in 2025.
DEATH CYCLE stars Matthew Ninaber (Psycho Goreman), Kristen Kaster (Death Valley), Sasha Ormond (A Knights War), Justin Bott (Hyperborean), James Fler (For the Sake of Vicious), & Wes Hill. The film was written by Dave McLeod, and produced by Latefox, Chronovisor Images & High Rise Studios.
After the death of her sister, a woman is visited by a man looking to solve a series of murders by a motorcycle riding maniac. As their shared fear escalates, the killer’s rampage continues in the city, leaving them both questioning who the real monster is.
Sometimes a film benefits from a little distance. My initial reaction to Death Cycle was that it was simply “OK” — an average revenge thriller that hinted at something more but never quite delivered in the moment. Yet, after a few days of letting it sit and turning it over in my mind, my opinion has shifted noticeably in its favour.
At the time of viewing, I felt the film left something on the table. There seemed to be potential for a far more lurid, sleazy, trashy experience rather than the comparatively polished product that ultimately appears on screen. The murders themselves also felt somewhat fleeting, unfolding so quickly that they lacked the lingering brutality the premise seemed to promise. There were even small details that momentarily pulled me out of the film — for instance, the question of how someone wearing thick motorcycling gloves manages such an effective grip around a victim’s neck. But these reservations have gradually faded as the film has settled in my mind.
Part of this reassessment may come from context. Over the same weekend I watched several films of varying quality, and once the dust settled it became easier to place them all in perspective. Compared with a couple of truly dreadful offerings, Death Cycle emerged looking considerably stronger in hindsight.
The film’s dialogue can feel somewhat repetitive, circling around the central incident that triggers the revenge spree with near obsessive frequency. Like the wheels of the titular vehicle, the conversation loops endlessly back to the same pivotal moment, and at times the viewer may find themselves wishing for a narrative twist or unexpected development to break the cycle. None arrives, however, and the film remains steadfastly committed to its straightforward revenge trajectory.
What ultimately elevates Death Cycle are its more visceral elements and a solid central performance. The gore is handled with commendable effectiveness, delivering moments of brutality that linger far longer than the film’s narrative beats. Meanwhile, Matthew Ninaber provides a strong anchor as Luca, the estranged relative turned journalist drawn into the aftermath of the violence. His presence lends the film a degree of emotional weight that helps ground the otherwise straightforward story.
In the end, Death Cycle proves to be one of those films that leaves a stronger impression than its individual components might initially suggest. While it may not fully realise the grimy potential hinted at by its premise, it nonetheless settles into the mind more firmly than expected, gradually improving in retrospect once the credits have long since rolled.
