Death Cycle

Premiered at FrightFest 2025, Death Cycle stands out as one of the most memorable films in this year's selection, a film that revels in both its assertive style and relentless intensity. Directed by Gabriel Carrer and written by Dave McLeod, this giallo-tinged slasher is a breathless 80-minute descent into grief, paranoia, and carnage. Produced by John Ainslie, Gabriel Carrer, Dave McLeod, Matthew Ninaber, and Andy Wolting, the film bears the mark of a collaborative project where artistic control and narrative ambition intersect. From the very first images, Death Cycle establishes a menacing atmosphere: a motorcycle roars through the night, neon-lit streets echo with terror, and latent violence soon explodes onto the screen.

At the heart of the film, Kristen Kaster plays Abby, a young woman broken by the recent death of her sister. Her performance provides an emotional anchor for the relentless carnage, grounding the story in palpable and unshakeable grief. A mysterious man, played with unsettling restraint by Matthew Ninaber, then bursts into her life. He is searching for answers amid a series of horrific murders committed by a motorcycle-riding killer. Their relationship is marked by mistrust, grief, and a constant question of guilt. The two characters serve as mirrors for each other, forcing the audience to confront not only the literal threat of the killer, but also the insidious idea that true horror may lie in human fragility, deception, and unresolved pain. This ambiguity is one of the film's greatest strengths, setting it apart from more conventional slashers.

Stylistically, Gabriel Carrer demonstrates a remarkable ability to blend the aesthetic sensibility of Italian giallo with the raw brutality of modern horror. Working closely with cinematographer Andy Wolting, he constructs a visual language of deep reds, metallic reflections, and carefully framed shadows that evoke both art and unease. The editing, done by Gabriel Carrer himself, relies on striking juxtapositions: moments of almost dreamlike calm are broken by sudden, disorienting explosions of violence. These choices accentuate the film's psychological instability, reminding viewers that they are never safe from what lurks around the next corner. The homage to giallo is evident in the use of saturated colors and stylized sets, but Carrer avoids simple pastiche by propelling the film into the realm of contemporary horror, where gore is not decorative but deeply conflictual. Thematically, Death Cycle accurately explores the cycles of trauma and revenge.

Abby's grief becomes the gateway to understanding the cyclical nature of violence itself: just as the roar of the motorcycle engine repeats itself, pain, anger, and loss return endlessly. The narrative resists any clear resolution, deliberately blurring the lines between victim, survivor, and perpetrator. In this sense, the film functions not only as a slasher, but as an interrogation of the very mechanics of the genre. By forcing the audience to question who the real monster is, Carrer and McLeod elevate the subject matter beyond visceral thrills, creating an experience that is as psychologically disturbing as it is visually shocking.

The performances of the supporting actors, Sasha Ormond and James Fler, enrich the texture of the film, providing both narrative progression and contrasting perspectives on fear and survival. While the concise 80-minute runtime ensures a fast pace, it sometimes leaves the supporting characters underdeveloped. However, this narrative economy also works in the film's favor, offering an intense visual experience that thrives on tension rather than explanation. Brevity is integral to the film's identity, reflecting the suddenness and brutality of the violence it depicts.

What makes Death Cycle particularly remarkable is the way it plays with audience expectations. At festivals such as FrightFest, genre fans expect to see gore, shocks, and inventive killers. What they may not expect, however, is a film that combines these elements with an atmosphere of surreal disorientation and narrative ambiguity. Interestingly, early reactions to the trailer described the film as “gasoline-soaked horror,” and this metaphor proves apt: every frame seems drenched in fuel, ready to ignite at the slightest spark.

 The motorcycle itself becomes more than just a tool for carnage: it symbolizes the relentless momentum of death, grief, and vengeance. Death Cycle is a major achievement for Gabriel Carrer and his creative team.  It demonstrates that genre cinema, when approached with respect and innovation, can transcend clichés and offer something that resonates beyond the superficial spectacle of blood and engines. With distribution secured by Uncork'd Entertainment in the US, and Black Fawn Distribution preparing a Canadian release in 2026, the film looks set for a long life well beyond its festival debut. At FrightFest 2025, it established itself as much more than just a slasher; it's a carefully constructed cycle of terror, grief, and brutality, reminding audiences that sometimes the most terrifying monsters aren't the ones roaring in the shadows, but the unresolved traumas we carry within us.

Death Cycle 
Directed by Gabriel Carrer
Written by Dave McLeod
Produced by John Ainslie, Gabriel Carrer, Dave McLeod, Matthew Ninaber, Andy Wolting
Starring Kristen Kaster, Matthew Ninaber, Sasha Ormond, James Fler
Cinematography : Andy Wolting
Edited by Gabriel Carrer
Production companies : Chronovisor Images, High Rise Studio, Latefox Pictures
Release dates :  
Running time : 80 minutes

Seen August 21 2025 (press screener)

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