Popeye's revenge

Horror films often find inspiration in the most unexpected places, but Popeye's Revenge, directed by William Stead, takes this concept to the extreme. This low-budget slasher tries to transform the beloved, muscular, spinach-craving sailor into a ruthless serial killer. The movie follows a group of young summer camp counselors who attempt to revive a long-abandoned summer camp, before finding themselves being hunted by this monstrous figure linked to the legend of Popeye. While this premise might intrigue horror fans with a taste for the absurd, the film ultimately sinks under the weight of its misguided ambition, suffering from poor execution, weak characterization, and a general lack of humor or creativity necessary to justify its bizarre concept.

Popeye's Revenge attempts to fuse nostalgic iconography with horror, a trend that has worked in films like Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey or The Banana Splits Movie. However, where these films at least attempted to retain some semblance of the essence of their original characters, this film throws everything recognizable about Popeye overboard. The titular villain bears little resemblance to the classic cartoon character, save for the occasional “I am what I am” muttered before committing a gruesome murder. Even his supposed spinach-fuelled strength, one of the most iconic aspects of Popeye mythology, is barely used, making the connection to the beloved sailor feel like an afterthought rather than a driving force of the horror narrative.

The film's setting - a dilapidated summer camp with a dark history - is a cliché straight out of Friday the 13th, but without the tension or craft that made that franchise a staple of the genre. The campfire legend explaining Popeye's vengeful return is so underdeveloped that it feels more like an excuse than a compelling story. If the director had accepted the absurdity of the premise, adopting a self-aware or darkly comic tone, it might have been possible to salvage the concept. Instead, the movie takes itself far too seriously, which only amplifies its narrative shortcomings.

If Popeye's Revenge has one strong point, it's the killing sequences, which are brutal, bloody and sometimes inventive. The film doesn't shy away from bloodshed, offering impalings, dismemberments and a particularly gruesome death involving an anchor. Yet even these moments fail to enhance the experience. The practical effects, while practical for a low-budget production, lack the creativity needed to make the killings truly memorable. Worse still, the film displays a disturbing misogyny, with the female characters subjected to particularly degrading and prolonged deaths that seem more exploitative than shocking.

Unfortunately, the actors don't have much to do. The characters are shallow stereotypes: the jock, the nerd, the easy girl, the final girl, none of them are given meaningful story arcs or personalities beyond the clichés assigned to them. The dialogues are often stilted and contrived, making it difficult for even the most experienced actors to deliver convincing performances. Emily Mogilner, as the film's protagonist, does her best to give depth to her role, but the script doesn't give her much to work with. The supposed tension between the counselors as they try to survive is undermined by poor pacing, clumsy editing, and a lack of meaningful suspense.

One of the film's biggest flaws is its failure to integrate a meaningful connection to Popeye's legacy. While it's clear that the filmmakers have tried to capitalize on the character's public domain status, they do so in the most superficial way possible. There is virtually no reference to his supporting characters other than Olive Oyl, so no Bluto, no Wimpy - and the film completely ignores the light-hearted and adventurous spirit that made Popeye a cultural icon. The decision to portray Popeye as a stupid, massive brute rather than a tragic or even vaguely developed antagonist only adds to the film's identity crisis.

Popeye's Revenge is a deeply flawed attempt to repurpose a beloved character into a horror icon. While its premise may seem intriguing to those who enjoy bizarre genre mashups, the film's lack of creativity, poor writing, and inability to embrace its own absurdity make it a boring and forgettable experience. The murders may offer momentary entertainment for bloodthirsty fans, but even they can't save the film from its general mediocrity. For those hoping for a fun, kitschy horror experience, it's best to avoid this film, as it has long since sunk.

Popeye's Revenge
Directed by William Stead
Produced by Rene August
Written by Harry Boxley, E.C. Segar
Starring Emily Mogilner, Connor Powles, Danielle Ronald, Bruno Cryan, Atlanta Moreno, Karolina Ugrenyuk, Fyn Phoenixx, Kyle Jordan, Eva Ray, Danielle Scott, Amanda Jane York, Oliver Mason, Kathi DeCouto, Paul Frost, Kelly Rian Sanson, Steven Murphy, Max Arlott
Music by James Cox
Cinematography: Vince Knight
Edited by Will Stead
Production companies: ITN Studios
Distributed by ITN Studios (United States)
Release date : February 13, 2025 (United States)
Running time : 79 minutes

Viewed February 21, 2025 (VOD)

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