Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Movie Reviews 2026 – your glorious guide to film.
If you are up-to-date with last week’s edition you’ll be aware the summer blockbuster season has started. It kicked off in marvellous fashion with The Devil Wears Prada 2, and continued with The Sheep Detectives.
This week the blockbuster season rolls on with video game sequel, Mortal Kombat II, and supernatural horror, Hokum. Plus, there’s even more horror in British creature feature, Bone Keeper, and Netflix is serving up the animated family film, Swapped.
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In cinemas…
Hokum (2026)
First up this week it’s off to the cinema for the supernatural horror, Hokum. Written and directed by Damian McCarthy (Oddity, Caveat) and starring Adam Scott, the movie follows the story of an author who checks into a supposedly haunted hotel.
In the movie, it’s the spooky season and author Ohm Bauman travels to Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes. Upon arrival he checks into a hotel, meets some of the strange staff, and is made aware of the building’s mysterious Honeymoon Suite.
The Suite has been closed for years because it is reportedly haunted by a witch. Ohm dismisses these reports as pure hokum and thinks nothing more of it.
But when one of the members of staff disappears under strange circumstances, Ohm finds himself caught up in the search for her whereabouts. This in turn leads to the Honeymoon Suite and a terrifying revelation.
If you’ve checked out the trailer for Hokum then you’ll probably have the impression this is a very weird horror film, with lots of strange things going on – but that’s not entirely true. At times it is a trifle odd, but the reality is a little more clear cut.
Hokum has occasional odd sequences, but in essence this is mostly just a good ol’ fashioned ghost story-cum-mystery-thriller. The disappearance of a young woman plays a significant role in the narrative, as do the supernatural elements, but it’s not as off-the-wall as it first seems.
The important thing is that for the most part it’s effective stuff. It isn’t perfect, and a few tweaks here and there could make this a tighter picture, but Hokum is fairly solid.
The strongest selling point of Hokum is how creepy it is. There are a couple of sequences which are particularly chilling, and are sure to send a shiver down the spine.
There are some standard jump scares, but filmmaker Damian McCarthy largely favours a sense of unease over quick frights, and this works rather well for the story being told. As Ohm investigates the spooky surroundings of the Honeymoon Suite things take a considerably dark turn, and plot points begin to come together, including a thread involving grief and trauma.
Something unsettling is certainly afoot in the hotel, but there’s more to Ohm’s journey than just things that go bump in the night. There’s depth underneath the surface scares, which ensure this is a ghost story with a fair amount of substance, and the central mystery offers up a fair bit of intrigue too.
If you’re a fan of Damian McCarthy’s previous work then you’ll no doubt take to Hokum rather well. And if you’re not so familiar with his past pictures, but you like horror, give Hokum a couple of hours of your time.
It might not be quite as bonkers as the preview trailers imply, but film itself is interesting enough regardless. Should you wish to take a look, Hokum is now playing in UK and US cinemas.
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Now streaming…
Swapped (2026)
Over to streaming now for the animated fantasy adventure, Swapped. Directed by Nathan Greno, and featuring the voices of Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer, and Justina Machado, the film follows the story of two creatures who switch bodies.
In the movie, Ollie is a Pookoo – a small woodland animal which looks like a cross between a chipmunk and a sea otter. Ollie and his fellow Pookoos have been having a tough time as of late, after Ollie accidentally caused their food supplies to become depleted by bird-like-leaf creatures known as the Javan.
Desperate to undo the damage he has caused, Ollie devises a way to scare off the Javan. However, while attempting to pull off his plan, Ollie stumbles across a magical pod which transforms his appearance into that of his enemy.
After meeting up with a group of Javans, including Ivy, he is offered some assistance to transform him back. But unfortunately Ivy transforms into a Pookoo instead.
Together the pair must join forces to undo their respective transformations. But can the duo put aside their differences long enough to achieve their goal?
Following hot on the heels of Disney-Pixar’s Hoppers, which also includes an animal body-swapping plot, Swapped is always going to run second fiddle to its stablemate. Not only does Hoppers have better animation and stronger characters, it’s also less complicated to begin with.
Swapped throws too many names and ideas about hybrid animals at the screen just to get to the body swap element of the story, and once the lead figures do change their appearances not a lot happens. The film effectively becomes a buddy movie from here on out, which is perfectly serviceable and some will like what’s on offer, but it’s not quite as strong as it could be.
However, Swapped is in no way a bad movie. Jordan and Temple are fine as the voices of Ollie and Ivy; the colourful character designs should appeal to young audiences; and Tracy Morgan puts in a decent turn as Boogle, an algae-fish hybrid with a secret.
On the whole Swapped is bright and cheery in places, and at other times quite thoughtful, so it has appeal. It doesn’t feel like it pushes the envelope enough, and if you’ve already watched Hoppersyou’ve seen the better 2026 animated body-swap movie, but don’t let this put you off from giving this one a chance.
Swapped is likeable and will almost certainly grab the attention of young audiences. It’s not top tier stuff, but it’s not bottom drawer either.
Should you wish to take a look, Swapped is now streaming on Netflix.
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Now streaming…
Bone Keeper (2026)
Up next is the small budget British creature feature, Bone Keeper. Written and directed by Howard J. Ford, and featuring a cast which includes John Rhys-Davies, Sarah Alexandra Marks and Louis James, the film follows the story of a group of friends who encounter an extra-terrestrial, cave-dwelling monster.
In the movie, Olivia Wheeler, five of her friends, and an influencer they encounter on their travels, explore a cave which they believe contains an ancient monster. The group are looking for information regarding Olivia’s missing mother, and this cave should provide the answers.
Unfortunately, the answers come with tentacles and an appetite for human flesh. Cue plenty of blood, guts, and screaming before the end credits roll.
If you can overlook a great deal of padding, including at least 45 minutes of waffle before the group even gets to the caves, Bone Keeper is passable. Oh, don’t be fooled into thinking this is a marvellous monster movie, because it’s not, but for a film with a limited amount of cash at its disposal it at least tries.
The story about the missing mother is complete twaddle, and the sheer amount of clichés in the film is distracting, but the cast give things a good go and the special effects and monster design work are fab. The tentacled nightmare lurking in the cave is ghoulish stuff and is essentially the reason to keep watching.
Without the creepy creature work, Bone Keeper would be mostly rubbish, and a two-star film at best. With the creepy creature work, the overall appeal of the film is raised up just a touch, because it is really quite horrid (in the best way, of course).
But yeah, outside of this, Bone Keeper is nothing amazing, and parts are easily skippable, including the aforementioned initial 45 minutes. So, if you do give this one a go feel free to fast-forward the boring bits.
Anyway, should you want to take a look, Bone Keeper is now available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
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In cinemas…
Mortal Kombat II (2026)
And finally, back to the cinema for action-fantasy sequel, Mortal Kombat II. Directed by Simon McQuoid and starring Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, and Martyn Ford, the film follows on from the events of 2021’s Mortal Kombat with a bunch of fighters brought together to take part in an epic contest.
In the movie, various champions including Sonya Blade, Raiden, and Jax, prepare to enter a battle to resist the rule of chief nasty-pasty, Shao Kahn. Joining them this time around is the fierce (and fairly awesome) Kitana, as well as washed-up actor Johnny Cage, who is not only reluctant to get involved, he also thinks this is all a load of old nonsense (which it is).
Originally due to be released in 2025, before it was pushed back to this summer, I’d love to tell you the slight delay to Mortal Kombat II has been worth the wait. But if I told you that I’d be lying.
The additional wait time for this sequel’s release has merely postponed what was fairly obvious – that Mortal Kombat II is pretty much more of the same. The story is wafer thin, the characters are a mixed bunch, and the stakes only matter to Warner Bros./New Line Cinema.
To be fair, Mortal Kombat II is a marginal improvement on what came before, so don’t give up hope entirely, but this is still mostly a film where logic takes a holiday and where the fight sequences are relentless. Of course, this is fine for those who just want to see their favourite characters trading blows – this is a Mortal Kombat movie after all – but it leaves little for the rest of us.
Improvements in this new offering include the inclusion of Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage, who is quite fun as an ageing action star; the addition of Adeline Rudolph’s Kitana, who is fairly interesting compared to some of the other combatants; and the general sense this sequel is keen to get on with things rather than just act as one long set-up. The previous film faffed about too much, dragging things out needlessly, whereas this one gets down to business far quicker.
Mortal Kombat II also benefits from the return of Josh Lawson, who reprises the role of Kano. His character was one of the few highlights of Mortal Kombat, and he remains the MVP here.
As for everything else, it’s exactly as you imagine. It’s dumb. It’s watchable, but it’s dumb.
Put simply: It’s slightly better than its predecessor, but if you weren’t sold the first time around, it’s doubtful this latest offering will butter your spuds.
The expectations for Mortal Kombat II were never going to be high, and in this respect it doesn’t necessarily disappoint. It does everything you presume it will, so fans of the series should find it accommodating enough.
As for everyone else, a few tweaks here and there improve the overall experience, but it’s still very much a daft film with limited gas in the tank. It’ll pass the time, but don’t expect to be wowed.
Mortal Kombat II is now playing in UK and US cinemas.
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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 Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)
“The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a much better sequel than we could have hoped for and certainly hits the sweet spot for summer entertainment. The wait may have seemed long, but the years in between have given the movie plenty of material to work with.”
The Sheep Detectives (2026)
“Go for the sheep, appreciate the humans, and get lost in a likeable story. The Sheep Detectives is surprisingly pleasant stuff and perfect viewing for the family.”
Apex (2026)
“Playing out like a mix of Wolf Creek, Dead Calm, and The Most Dangerous Game, Apex is nerve-racking stuff. (Taron) Egerton is fantastic as Ben, (Charlize) Theron gives as good as she gets playing the no-nonsense Sasha, and director Baltasar Kormákur moves his players around the screen with panache.”
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Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week which this week is going to Hokum. Atmospheric and creepy, Hokum is a captivating ghost story.
And if you like Hokum you might also like:
- Caveat (2020) – Hokum director Damian McCarthy writes and directs this creepy horror about a drifter who takes a job on a secluded island.
- Oddity (2024) – Damian McCarthy writes and directs this horror about a medium on a quest to uncover the truth about her sister’s murder.
- The Night House (2020) – Director David Bruckner oversees this supernatural horror about a widow who uncovers a dark secret involving her recently deceased husband.
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Forthcoming attractions
That’s your lot for this week, but hold onto your hats as the summer blockbuster season is just getting started!
Coming soon Pedro Pascal heads back to the Star Wars universe with The Mandalorian and Grogu; there’s British comedy and romance in Finding Emily; and there’s horror hijinks in Obsession. Plus, coming up on the horizon, it’s time to catch up with old friends Prince Adam, Teela, and Man-at-Arms in the highly anticipated action-fantasy, Masters of the Universe.
You really don’t want to miss any of this.
Alex
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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.
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