Critic Reviews

Full of blood and murder and Gothic flair, what makes Victorian Psycho so good is that it doesn't need to pretend to be artsy or take itself too seriously.

Directed by Zachary Wigon and starring a brilliant Maika Monroe, Victorian Psycho shines in a sea of gothic horrors for the way it depicts real fears about societal acceptance.

The third feature from Zachary Wigon (following 2023’s Sanctuary and 2014’s The Heart Machine) takes gonzo delight in ratcheting up traditional gothic psychodrama tropes to frenzied heights while also paying striking homage to its literary roots.

More than a well-crafted thriller, Victorian Psycho proves a rousing comedy, its trio of great actors never missing the mark with a stoic line delivery.

Clocking in at a tight 90 minutes, some changes to the also-slim book are smart, while others dilute its darkest impulses.

Even when it does start to eventually run out of steam, Monroe never slows down, making even the quiet moments feel like they could explode at any second. It’s a truly exciting, unpredictable performance that keeps you locked in.

Wigon executes the bloody splurges with flair but fails to build up to them with stakes or tension.

There’s enough death and dismay to make that question surprising, but Victorian Psycho often feels too much like a comedy, one of those movies that nudge-nudges you with a “can you believe this” tone to the filmmaking without giving us enough to believe in.

It feels natural to expect blood-dripping gore and reckless violence from a film titled Victorian Psycho, but, with his latest, Zachary Wigon chooses instead to lure the audience with the fresh smell of ripped flesh, only to trap them under a heavy blanket of frustration.

At times, the movie veers almost into spoof territory, but it never commits to the bit enough to be anything more than a mismatched genre hybrid, despite its atmospheric visuals and strong design elements.