Film Fests
Fantastic Fest: ‘Beware Boiúna’ Review
Beware Boiúna led me down a rabbit hole where I learned that way too much of the Amazon forest is unexplored– at least 60% according to experts. For the love of the game, Mike P. Nelson (Silent Night Deadly Night, Wrong Turn) still took his crew into the belly (the safer parts, I’m sure) to create a new story within the bounds of Amazonian folklore. There ain’t a tour guide alive that’s messing with a wrath of this natural size.
Beware Boiúna Brings Amazonian Folklore to Horror
The film opens with two genre favorite final girls, Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day), and Kiana Madeira (Fear Street Trilogy). Rothe’s character Alli is a medic on a humanitarian mission who holds just enough empathy to romanticise a potentially dangerous situation. Although honest, her naivety of the world’s fragile balance emerges to prove a nasty point. Madeira’s character Lena represents the opposite- not a medic, but a native who’s learned the mechanic trade to escape the temperamental grounds of life on the Amazon River. They meet on the RR Hermes, which delivers the team of doctors to their mission of providing healthcare to one of many indigenous colonies in Colombia.
A Giant Serpent and the Dangers of Ecotourism
Alli’s view of natural life outside her own places her in a bubble that she understands as “safe”, which the audience, and the writers’ room, know can’t be further from the truth. What’s different about the source of danger in Beware Boiúna is that there are several that share the scare-factor. There’s a giant angry snake, yeah, but not as much as the average monster movie fanatic might hope for. The consequences of ecotourism (boiling down to colonization) drive most of the conflict. In the thick of it, we find ourselves at the mercy of the elements, and the classic horror cynicism towards human behavior in peril.
The women, and the rest of the team meet at a local joint where Lena tells Alli all about the legend of Boiúna- a giant serpent known to protect her lands wherever imbalance occurs. They also meet a sketchy pair of brothers led by Logan Marshall-Green (The Invitation, Upgrade) who are exploring the area for a new industrial excavation project. Alli is skeptical of their ethics, and makes a series of choices that, again, come from good intentions, but jeopardize the balance that Boiúna protects. It’s not as easy for the viewer to scoff at the cast’s decision-making in this one.
Beware Boiúna Is More Than a Traditional Creature Feature
Once the turmoil kicks in, Alli sinks to reality when she realizes that Boiúna is a “creature of imagination, not an imaginary creature” that should be brushed off lightly. Nelson has been digging new tunnels into existing horror classics for a good chunk of his career, so the wider opportunity to create a story within Boiúna’s roots in real generational, word of mouth warnings makes Beware Boiúna a treat for fans of his style of storytelling. Complementing his loyalty to the slasher sub-genre, this film is less of a creature feature and more of a cautionary tale, with major constrictive convincing from an eldritch horror of the natural jungle- exactly what the filmmaker had aimed for.
Why Beware Boiúna Keeps Its Monster Hidden
Although intentional, the lack of monster screen time might be disappointing to those that expect a classic creature feature. Most of the creature is hidden in her own size (it’s joyfully difficult to tell where the snake begins or ends), with bits of practical FX holding down her movements. The casualties, and the panic they create, are where the good stuff’s at, especially how they are captured- surrounded by the low light of the jungle, with disorienting camera moves boosted by quick, cheeky editing. Boiúna protects the Amazon from imbalance by any means- nobody ever said she has to do so with a kind heart.
The Amazon Jungle Becomes the Real Monster
Even if we forget the not-so-mythological beast, following the ensemble fight through the elements for survival is wildly entertaining. Shooting such high intensity scenes on location absolutely affected the group’s camera calories burned, and transfers to the viewer with ease.
Beware Boiúna’s Final Girl Payoff
So, no- the film doesn’t stick to the bulk of its snake-heavy marketing, but the casting adds major lift to the story Nelson and producers Robert Kulzer and Jeremy Bolt set out to make. The innocence Rothe dresses her character in is painfully honest enough to bring a strong level of nuance to the take-home message, and Marshall-Green’s performance, supported by Jackson Bews are perfect casts to throw salt in the wounds of it. For years I’ve quoted the 1995 family classic- Pocahontas warned us early that “these white men are dangerous.” Leaving Madeira with a fiery “I told you so” final girl moment that doesn’t alter the lack of creature in the feature, but absolutely does pay off.
Mother nature strikes again. I’ve been warned, and I’m keeping my hands and feet inside the moving vehicle for the foreseeable future. Mike P. Nelson’s Beware Boiúna creeps into theaters on October 2nd, and whether you like it or not, she has a message for you. Will you mess around and find out?
If you’re not watching Indonesian horror, you’re missing out. The region is producing some of the craziest genre movies around right now, thanks in no small part to the efforts of writer-director Joko Anwar. His latest, Ghost in the Cell, which celebrated its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest 2026, combines everything we love about the filmmaker’s work—supernatural scares, inventive kills, and gnarly gore—along with a strong vein of comedy and political satire.
What is Ghost in the Cell About?
Ghost in the Cell centers around Dimas (Endy Arfian), a journalist whose life falls apart after he tries to run a story on corporate corruption and mysterious worker deaths. Wrongfully convicted of the horrific murder of his boss, Dimas finds himself with a one-way ticket to Cell Block C, where he quickly meets a colorful cast of prisoners—the good, the bad, and the seriously nasty. Among the good guys, there’s Anggoro (Abimana Aryasatya), who is constantly getting into trouble for defending fellow inmates, and Six (Yoga Pratama), who claims he can see people’s auras.
As if Dimas’ situation couldn’t get any worse, his arrival seems to trigger a series of brutal killings in the prison. Bodies are showing up mangled beyond recognition and displayed in positions that wouldn’t look out of place in Hannibal. It soon becomes clear that Dimas isn’t behind the murders, which begs the question: what did he bring in with him?
Anwar Embraces Horror-Comedy Whole-Heartedly
Prison is a scary place, and Anwar makes great use of the setting, with the action moving from the dingy showers where predators lurk to the bleak cellblock where inmates are at the mercy of their captors and the cafeteria where rival gangs eye each other up with ill intent.
But for all the human misery contained within the film, Ghost in the Cell is ultimately a horror-comedy, one that isn’t afraid to lean into broad slapstick and quippy dialogue when it wants to raise a chuckle. The tonal shifts can take a little while to adjust to, especially if your previous experience with Anwar comes from his more serious horror outings like Impetigore. This might be a problem if the film wasn’t actually funny, but Ghost in the Cell has enough laugh-out-loud moments to make you forget about any whiplash.
Ghost in the Cell Is a Genre-Bender to the Max
Comedy isn’t the only new flavor that Anwar has tossed into the mix. In Ghost in the Cell, dance sequences and martial-arts fight choreo sit side-by-side with some of the most extreme gore scenes seen outside a Terrifier movie in recent years. Then there’s the eerie way the spirit presents before it kills (trypophobia sufferers, beware) and the extensive critique of political corruption, power, and inequality. It’s an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach that shouldn’t work on paper, but under Anwar’s assured hand, it does.
It helps that for all the slapstick, the film lands a surprisingly earnest message, amplified by its vast ensemble cast. Dimas and Anggoro at times feel like main characters, but everyone in Ghost in the Cell has a big part to play, and that’s the point: in seemingly impossible circumstances, there’s strength in unity.
Ghost in the Cell Is an Endlessly Entertaining Blend of Goofiness, Heart, and Gore
If you’re looking for nonstop scares, you won’t find them in Ghost in the Cell. What you will find is a delightful blend of horror, comedy, and action that is apt to leave you grinning from ear to ear.
The film doesn’t skimp on the gore, throwing flesh and fluids at every surface. But it’s also charmingly goofy, with a cast that doesn’t take itself too seriously and a script that’s all too happy to devolve into a comedic dance scene when it feels like the spirit might strike. In every sense, Anwar is doing the most, and the end result is a film where there’s nary a dull moment in sight.
One of the great pleasures of attending Fantastic Fest is the ability to occasionally see movies that won’t be out for many months. That’s especially true with the Secret Screenings, which this year included a work-in-progress print of In a Violent Nature 2, a film that doesn’t even have a release date yet and made for a wildly entertaining midnight movie surprise.
While a few things may change between now and release, the cut shown at Fantastic Fest felt near-final. Here’s what you can look forward to when this sequel eventually slashes its way onto our screens.
Johnny Returns in In a Violent Nature 2
In a Violent Nature 2 picks up right where the action of its predecessor left off, while also introducing new aspects of the lore that slightly contradict or complicate what has already been established, a nod to the way that slasher sequels throw in new plot elements willy-nilly to suit their needs.
The second film centers on Alex (Lucas Nguyen), a quiet 14-year-old kid who misses the bus home from camp because his bullies have stuffed him in a trunk. Since his older sister works at the camp, he gets to hang out for the night while the counselors celebrate the end of the season. Unfortunately, an old fireman’s whistle has drawn the mute, hulking Johnny (Ry Barrett) to the camp—and before long, their night of revelry has turned into one of unimaginable horror.
Less Walking, More Killing
Chris Nash, who wrote and directed the first film, handles scripting duties this time around, with Nate Wilson—who served as first assistant director on the original—stepping into the director role. It feels as though Nash may have listened to viewers’ complaints about how much walking was in the original, because In a Violent Nature 2 takes a break from following Johnny on his lumbering mission. Instead, the camera largely chases Alex through the woods as he runs, trips, and stumbles away from the carnage.
This change is a mixed bag. Alex may be more a dynamic figure to follow overall, but he also makes some frustratingly poor choices, and his teenage moodiness makes him a little unlikeable. The first film also succeeded, in part, because it consciously played into how audiences consume slasher movies, with their sympathies shifting from cheering on the killer to rooting for the final girl when she triumphantly emerges. In a Violent Nature 2 feels like less of a meta-commentary on the slasher genre, though it still has plenty to offer fans of the genre, especially when it comes to kills.
In a Violent Nature 2 Takes the Gore to a Whole New Level
Mention In a Violent Nature to a horror fan and they’ll probably bring up the yoga kill within 10 seconds. For the sequel, Nash and Wilson attempt to up the ante—no small feat considering just how violent the first film was. It’s hard to top that particular kill, but In a Violent Nature 2 certainly gives it the old college try.
Shifting the focus from a single group of friends to an entire summer camp, even one that’s emptying out, instantly ups the potential body count (and harkens back to the slasher films of yore). Counsellors are slaughtered in droves, in ways more brutal than anything seen in the original film, with a few kills in particular sure to get people talking. It’s a real treat for fans of practical effects, and it’s great to see that even horror films positioning themselves as more “elevated” than the typical fare can have fun and get their hands bloody.
A Possible Set up for Another Sequel?
Minor spoilers ahead.
In a Violent Nature 2 feels like something of a response to the reception of the first film, removing what people didn’t like and piling on more of what they did. The result is a movie that feels a little less focused and meditative than its predecessor, but still incredibly fun. And with a third film heavily teased in the final minutes, it seems like we’ll be seeing more of Johnny in the near future. Based on the trajectory of other slashers, can we expect to see him fighting a psychic child next? Or—dare we dream—is he preparing for a trip to space?
Only time will tell. Better lace up your walking shoes.
When Does In a Violent Nature 2 Come Out?
In a Violent Nature 2 is slated to hit theaters sometime in 2026. Keep an eye on IFC Films and Shudder’s socials for more release information as it becomes available.
