Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of Movie Reviews 2026 – your ruddy marvellous guide to movies.
On the horizon this week there’s spooky goings on in supernatural horror, Undertone; Keanu Reeves takes the lead in Jonah Hill’s black comedy-drama, Outcome; and there are disasters ahoy in survival thriller, Thrash. Plus, filmmaker Lee Cronin unwraps his latest movie, The Mummy!
Yes, it’s another Mummy movie, but this one promises to be different from what came before. And no, it has nothing to do with Brendan Fraser.
—
In cinemas…
Undertone (2025)
First up this week it’s off to the cinema for the Canadian supernatural horror, Undertone. Written and directed by Ian Tuason, and starring Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco, and Michèle Duquet, the film centres its story around some rather disturbing audio files.
In the movie, podcast host, Evy Babic has temporarily moved back to her family home to look after her dying, comatose mother. Evy’s mother is in the final stages of her life, and requires round the clock care.
While staying at the house, Evy maintains her sanity and composure during this difficult time by continuing to record her horror podcast, The Undertone, with fellow host, Justin. The subject of their latest episode is a series of ten audio files which Justin received on email from an anonymous sender.
The files were seemingly recorded by a couple named Mike and Jessa, although no further information about the couple is known. As Evy and Justin listen to the files, they record their podcast and attempt to dissect what they mean, with disturbing results.
With a minimal cast, a fixed setting, and some creepy sound work, Undertone is a fairly effective little horror. The audio files are suitably unnerving, conjuring up all manner of thoughts and feelings, while Evy’s role as carer to her unresponsive mother keeps her isolated and vulnerable.
And it’s here where filmmaker Ian Tuason strikes. Although Evy does have some communication with the outside world, and is in regular contact with Justin, she spends the majority of the movie on her own, which puts her at risk – an ideal situation for a horror movie!
Watching Evy become increasingly caught up in the mystery of the audio files makes for intriguing viewing. It’s clear something is going to happen, it’s simply a case of waiting to see how it all unfolds.
However, it’s the unsettling atmosphere and dark ambience that surrounds her which really grabs the attention. Similar to how Paranormal Activity or Ghostwatch work, with the idea that something evil is lurking, Undertone makes use of noises, shadows, and suggestions to send the imagination into overdrive, allowing the brain to conjure up things which could be operating in the background.
Undertone is one of those horror films where things become creepy because of what you don’t see, rather than what you do. There are no jump scares here, just a foreboding sense of dread which does a great deal of the heavy lifting.
So, a decent horror? Yes, for the most part.
Undertone looses some of its impact towards the climax, and this does rob it of some of its power. Everything ticks along quite well until the very end, but it fails to stick the landing and this is a shame.
But for the majority of its runtime it holds the attention. Evy and Justin’s conversations about the audio files lure you in, while the constant sense of doom is what keeps you engrossed.
Should you wish to take a look, Undertone is now playing in UK and US cinemas.
—
Now streaming…
Outcome (2026)
Over to streaming now for the black comedy-drama, Outcome. Directed and co-written by Jonah Hill (he also features in the movie too), Outcome stars Keanu Reeves, Matt Bomer, and Cameron Diaz, and tells the story of an actor who is blackmailed over questionable content.
In the movie, Reeves plays Reef Hawk – a seasoned, Oscar-winning actor who has battled a few demons in his past, including a heroin addiction. However, after taking a five-year career break to get himself sorted, Reef is clean and sober and ready to get back on the scene.
Problem is, an incriminating video has surfaced which could kill Reef’s career in an instant. His only chance of stopping this from happening is to apologise to everyone he has been a dick to – which is a lot of people – to find out which one of them has the video.
Fine at times, yet somewhat lacking in a few areas, Outcome is a so-so picture which has plenty of potential yet never quite hits the heights it’s aiming for. Reeves is solid in the role of Reef, Diaz and Bomer are decent supporting players, and there are plenty of cameos (Martin Scorsese, David Spade, Laverne Cox, etc), but it’s all a bit pretentious, it drags in places, and it is never as fun as it could or should be.
Writer/director Jonah Hill gives himself the best part in the film, playing Reef’s lively crisis lawyer, Ira, but it seems he spent more time bringing the character to life than making this film sing. As such, there are bright spots, including an angry outburst from Drew Barrymore, but Outcome is patchy at best.
Plus, it’s a movie about an actor who has done some questionable stuff in his past, but is very keen for his loyal fans to think he’s squeaky clean. Only in Hollywood would anyone think this is the sort of story us regular folk would have any time for.
The cast and the performance from Keanu Reeves are a big selling point, but Outcome doesn’t live up to the talent involved. It tries, but it falls short, and worst of all it just isn’t as interesting as it thinks it is.
It’s a film you might want to like, but whether you actually do is another matter entirely. Anyway, should you wish to take a look Outcome is now streaming on Apple TV.
—
Now streaming…
Thrash (2026)
Sticking with streaming for the survival thriller, Thrash. Written and directed by Tommy Wirkola, and starring Phoebe Dynevor, Whitney Peak, Alyla Browne, and Djimon Hounsou, the film follows residents of a town hit by a hurricane AND vicious sharks!
In the film, the town of Annieville, South Carolina is hit by a Category 5 hurricane. As the rain pours down and the winds blow in, the majority of the locals abandon their homes to get as far away as possible.
However, not everyone makes it out before the hurricane reaches its peak. A young girl, a pregnant woman, and two arsehole parents and their mistreated foster kids are amongst those who remain behind, and find themselves pitted against the elements.
But it’s not just falling trees and powerful winds they have to contend with, the rising water levels also serve up an additional wrinkle. The floods usher in sharks who are ready to chow down on the injured and vulnerable.
Complete nonsense, yet enjoyable enough to watch, Thrash is a pretty straight forward disaster movie which essentially pits humans against nature. There’s wind, rain, and rough terrain, as well as incredibly ravenous sharks, gobbling up people like it’s a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos.
Some will survive, some won’t. The fun is watching the irritating characters being bumped off and the semi-likeable characters fighting for their lives.
And the best thing of all? Thrash runs less than 90-minutes, so it gets to the storm and shark action fairly swiftly, without wearing out its welcome.
Could it go bigger? Probably, but it’s fine for a direct-to-streaming distraction.
While Thrash is far from a must-see movie, it is perfectly decent for what it is. The effects are tip-top, the cast do everything asked of them, and who doesn’t enjoy a good ol’ dose of shark shenanigans?
OK, so it feels like this movie belongs in the ‘90s, nestled alongside the likes of Dante’s Peak or Hard Rain, but it’s entertaining and that’s all that matters. Should you wish to take a look, Thrash is available to stream on Netflix.
—
In cinemas…
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026)
And finally, new to UK and US cinemas is the supernatural horror, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. Written and directed by Cronin, and starring Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, and Natalie Grace, the movie offers a fresh take on the Mummy story, which this time centres its tale around a child.
In the film, young Katie Cannon is kidnapped in Cairo. Eight years later she returns, but something truly awful has taken place.
That ‘something awful’ involves mummification. And while the Cannons should be overjoyed at having Katie back in their lives, it quickly becomes apparent this isn’t quite the Katie they remembered.
OK, for anyone a little confused, this new Mummy movie has absolutely nothing to do with the Brendan Fraser Mummy movies of yesteryear. Fraser is tipped to return to the Mummy series in 2027, but Lee Cronin’s film is not connected.
Likewise, this latest Mummy movie also shares zero connection to the Tom Cruise flick from 2017. Don’t worry, Universal isn’t trying to revive the Dark Universe, and you don’t need to go back and watch that Mummy movie as a refresher.
In fact, this new Mummy movie isn’t even a Universal film. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a New Line/Blumhouse picture, it is very much a standalone affair, and you can dive in should you see fit.
And if you do dive in, what you’ll find is a rather disturbing tale which is part Pet Sematary, part Exorcist, part Evil Dead, and part The Omen. Yes, it’s fair to say this version of The Mummy takes inspiration from many places and wears these influences on its sleeve, but don’t be put off by thinking this is a lazy horror which simply recycles everyone else’s ideas.
Instead this is a compelling and unsettling picture which really gets under the skin. It’s grubby, it’s gruesome, and it’s shocking, and at times it is horror at its most horrific.
The big selling point of this take on The Mummy is the kidnapped/missing child angle. Having Katie abducted early into the movie and then having her returned damaged creates a terrifying sense of unease.
The idea that a perfectly happy child can be taken and subjected to something terrible is enough to make anyone feel uncomfortable. But to then see the pain, the scars, and the psychological torment etched over her body is something else.
This alone is enough to set the mood and tone, but Cronin then ramps things up a notch by chucking in some Sam Raimi-style gore to make it clear there is plenty more horror to come. And there is. Throughout The Mummy’s 133-minute runtime there is a lot of creepy, gross, and horrid situations, as well as some splatter (and an eye-watering toe nail scene), which keep things moving along rather nicely.
Sure, the film is a shade too long and the pace does drop a couple of times, but for the majority of the time this is a good ol’ living, breathing nightmare of a movie which just continues to deliver. From the opening prologue to the karma-filled epilogue, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is keen to keep audiences invested with a strong story, a great cast, and top notch special effects.
Over the past few years, various classic monsters have been reimagined, updated, or repurposed for the big screen. Some have worked rather well, such as The Invisible Man and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, while some, such as The Wolf Man and The Bride, have fallen flat.
Thankfully Lee Cronin’s The Mummy fits into the former category and is generally a solid horror. This isn’t one of those modern, ten-a-penny jump scare horrors, which lack substance, this is a horror with a depth and a desire to tell a story that keeps you (mostly) bandaged to your seat.
—
Recent Releases
Not quite done yet? Want more movies? The above suggestions aren’t enough?! Well, here’s what’s also doing the rounds:
The Drama (2026)
“The Drama is a strong, involving, complex picture. It’s a movie about troubling thoughts, hypothetical situations, over thinking, and changing perceptions and perspectives.”
Versa (2026)
“Versa is a poignant, heartbreaking, and quite personal short film which conveys a carousel of emotions. In just a few minutes, and completely absent of dialogue, the film tells a deeply impactful narrative which shifts from happiness to sadness, and from acceptance to peace.”
They Will Kill You (2026)
“The preview trailers for They Will Kill You don’t quite do it justice, and it also doesn’t help the film is playing in cinemas at the same time as Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which shares similar themes and ideas, but don’t let this put you off. They Will Kill You is a likeable if slightly flawed movie, with excellent fight choreography, some imaginative sequences, and its tongue deliciously in cheek.”
—
Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week which this week goes to Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. Grim and gruesome, it may not tickle everyone’s pickle, but it should please horror fans who want something creepy.
And if you like Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, you might also like:
- Evil Dead Rise (2023) – Cronin writes and directs this standalone entry in the Evil Dead series which focuses on a family encountering demonic forces in their apartment block.
- The Invisible Man (2020) – Leigh Whannell’s excellent reimagining of the Invisible Man which reframes the concept as a domestic violence story.
- The Mummy (1999) – A very different take on the Mummy legend courtesy of Stephen Sommers’ rip-roaring action-adventure horror.
—
Forthcoming attractions
And that’s your lot for yet another week, but coming soon Charlize Theron finds herself hunted in survival thriller, Apex; the life and times of Michael Jackson are explored in Michael; and Meryl Streep and Co. are back for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Plus, Mortal Kombat II, The Sheep Detectives, Deep Water, and much, much more.
Alex
__
__
Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this edition of Movie Reviews 2026. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment