From the exquisite mind of Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin and V/H/S/94) comes Perpetrator, a brilliantly original and twisted take on female suppression, dangerous male predators and the pains of adolescence, with a stunning lead performance from Kiah McKirnan. On the eve of her 18th birthday, wild and rebellious Jonny is sent by her father to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie, where she begins to experience a radical metamorphosis: a family spell called the Forevering. With her newly uncovered powers, alongside a growing obsession with blood, a freshly feral and self-assured Jonny sets out on a perilous hunt to find a lethal perpetrator, responsible for the disappearances of several local women. Superbly blending a feminist coming-of-age drama with serial killer and supernatural fantasy genres, Perpetrator is beautifully shot in Bava-esque colors by director of photography Sevdije Kastrati, and features a phenomenal supporting cast, including Alicia Silverstone (Clueless), Melanie Liburd (Bad Boys: Ride or Die) and Christopher Lowell (Promising Young Woman).

For in-depth thoughts on Perpetrator, please see my colleague Matt Minton’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Perpetrator debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio from an HD master that is as rich and complex as any modern movie. The practical effects are deftly executed with every unique element blending peerlessly. It is a pleasure to observe how crisp the film is with standout textures and fine detail throughout. This is not the most overly colorful film, but certain hues emerge to liven up the screen, and everything appears accurately saturated. The transfer holds up resolutely with deep black levels largely free from crush. Objects hold tight in the shadows and retain their depth in low lighting. You may spot a hint of banding in a handful of moments, but it is virtually a non-issue. The highlights deliver a welcome stability to avoid blooming. There are no unsightly digital issues with this one. This is a sterling disc that showcases the work perfectly.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that brings this story to life without a hiccup. Dialogue is largely contained to the center channel outside of characters calling off-screen. Every exchange is reproduced crisply and clearly. While the film leans on dialogue, the reality conjured by Reeder is filled with atmospheric effects and an accompanying soundtrack that will give your speakers an effective layer of texture. Key sequences likewise inject some heft to the low end as the thrills start ramping up. The ambient activity in the rear channels makes the story feel more immersive and three-dimensional. The track does a respectable job of ensuring neither sound effects nor the music ever buries any exchanges. This track does exactly what it needs to. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video Blu-Ray of Perpetrator includes a booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kat Hughes and Marianne Lampon. This provides a great analysis of the movie, the creative figures, and the themes of the film. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Writer-director Jennifer Reeder and director of photography Sevdije Kastrati provide an informative commentary track in which they discuss the production of the film, the visual style they wanted to achieve, working with the performers, the shooting locations, and more.

Mirrors and The Monstrous Womb: A new 11-minute visual essay from filmmaker Jen Handorf in which she discusses the mirror identity metaphor, how two larger ideas blend in this narrative, how reflections are used in horror, and much more.

Original Shudder Trailer (1:41)

Cast Interviews: A brief selection of interviews is provided in which the talent discuss their characters, working on the film, and more.

- Kiah McKirnan (5:22)

- Alicia Silverstone (6:32)

- Melanie Liburd (5:23)

- Christopher Lowell (5:07)

Short Films & Music Videos: A collection of interesting early short films and music videos from Jennifer Reeder that shows the evolution of this talent.

- Screenplay (2024) (5:59)

- Tiny Baby (2024) (5:29)

- All Small Bodies (2018) (19:34)

- I Dream You Dream of Me (2018) (10:13)

- LOLA, 15 (2017) (4:25)

Final Thoughts

Perpetrator is an ambitious and somewhat messy directorial effort from Jennifer Reeder that channels all of her hard-earned feminist rage into a perplexing yet enthralling narrative. Many big choices are made both on a story and performance level, and it is a joy to see if they pay off. Certain elements will leave you scratching your head, and the pacing can be a chore, but there is no doubt that Reeder is one of the more interesting filmmakers in the horror space these days. The movie is bound to be polarizing, but you will be glad you found it if you happen to connect with it. Arrow Video has released a Blu-Ray featuring a valuable A/V presentation and a nice array of special features. Recommended

Perpetrator will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on August 19, 2025.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.