‘River’ Review – A Slasher On The Water [Fantastic Fest 2026]

Joshua Giuliano’s debut feature begins by focusing not on the young couple found in an isolated wooded area but on the surrounding landscape while their murder plays out. We see the abandoned car, the woods, and eventually the aftermath, but the sounds lead us to believe we have seen it all unfold. It is the very definition of a chilling opener and a welcome focus on the film’s willingness to embrace silence. After the opening, the film jumps to three estranged siblings, Lucy (Jane Levy), Carla (Jessica Rothe), and Drew (Max Mattern), who reunite after the death of their father. They head out on his boat down a remote river to scatter his ashes in a place that was special to him and their family. Tensions run high as the siblings have vastly different views on what their father was like. Lucy was very close to her father, helping during his final years, while Carla left home to avoid drinking with her father, who was abusive to her mother and unfaithful. Drew is right in the middle, trying to keep the peace while dealing with his memories.

While the family dynamics are an effective jumping-off point for many of the conflicts we see the characters engage in, the tension stemming from the death of their father does not entirely hold up. The eulogies are effectively arguments over the nature of their father, as Lucy speaks more fondly than either Carla or Drew, who are both reluctant to talk about his alcoholism and abuse, but Drew’s more humorous memories ground it all in a sense of how different the three siblings were.

The issue is that Lucy can be incredibly frustrating to watch. Jane Levy delivers a solid, but short performance as a selfish woman whose actions constantly undermine the efforts of others in dangerous situations. Lucy often makes the most unsafe decisions at the worst times, and at times it feels less like watching a conflicted human being and more like seeing the film’s script demand that someone be the catalyst for the next disaster that needs to occur. The sibling dynamics are a big part of why this film works, but Lucy’s characterization can make it challenging to care about the group’s fate when she is involved. Once the boat is out of commission, the siblings become stranded without the means to continue down the river; their radio is useless, there is no cell service, and they are miles from any assistance. The water that was supposed to connect them to their father and childhood becomes an enemy, one that Giuliano uses to his advantage. Water, rocks, the distance, darkness, and the lack of communication all create an effective sense of isolation, as there is nowhere for the siblings to run.

It is Carla who finds herself swimming towards the shore for help, but she finds a very different kind of monster. A broad-shouldered, muscular man with blood covering his body and a mask that looks to be carved from human skin watches her before wandering back into the water. He takes no immediate action against her as he watches, but the moment she wades closer to the shore is when the man begins to swim for Carla.

Dane DiLiegro is very imposing as the killer, but it is the very real mystery of the man that makes him so effective early on. He moves through the river as if it is his territory, which is confirmed by the siblings when they realize there is also a masked woman on the opposite shore with a crossbow who sees them as prey. The idea of the river being their domain is far more interesting than if the killer were just another masked slasher. Another effective element is how the film keeps its distance from the action, specifically when it comes to the deaths of others. The most effective scene sees the siblings watching as a woman is murdered. She emerges from the woods covered in blood, screaming for help, only for the killers to finish the job. The man and the woman watch from the edges of the river as they raise their blood-covered hands. It is a simple image, but it is one that delivers exactly what the siblings need to realize: they are the next targets.

River is brutal when it has to be as the night wears on and the violence becomes far more grotesque. Giuliano does not hold back when it comes to the physical toll the killer takes on his victims. Eyes are punctured, faces are smashed, and heads are severed, and one of the most effective images of the film sees a burning body hanging from a bridge. There is a viciousness to the film that I enjoyed, as it never felt like the killer was merciful or the victims were undeserving of help. What disappoints me about the film is how little it delivers on its promise to be scary. I was never entirely on edge while watching the film, as the tension was more effective at creating an atmosphere of unease than jump scares or sudden moments of terror. Giuliano is far more effective at building the tension around what might be lurking in the darkness rather than what is.

The film’s biggest weakness is also a strength: its characters making incredibly stupid decisions. It is to be expected to a certain degree with a slasher film, but certain situations feel too repetitive. While it does create tension when the characters are in danger, it also loses effectiveness when they continue to make the same mistakes. River is a very different film in its second half as it moves away from being something truly special and instead enters a more standard slasher territory. The idea of the killer being connected to the river is far more interesting than if he were just another masked figure wandering the woods. The violence continues to be nasty, and there are some effective images, but the sense of mystery quickly dissipates. We have seen this type of film before, but it was far more interesting to watch it evolve from something else.

I wish we had seen more of the river because it is the strongest element of the film. Moving away from it is a disappointment because it is such an effective setting. It is a minor flaw in an otherwise strong performance, but the atmosphere of the river is so strong that I wanted to see it utilized more. This is not an issue that affects many other parts of the film, but the river is such a unique location that I wanted more.

Jane Levy and Jessica Rothe are both strong, and their dynamic is enough to ground much of the dysfunction the family displays despite the script’s issues. Carla is angry at their father, which is understandable, but Lucy has far more depth, which makes their conflict effective in theory. Drew’s fear of water is also a good obstacle when the river becomes the only means of escape. His father once threw him in a lake as a swimming lesson, almost drowning him, so being forced into the water again creates an interesting situation.

That is ultimately the power of River, as the horror of the night causes the characters to confront the issues they have been avoiding. They spend years arguing over their father and keeping apart from each other, but in order to survive the night, they must work together. Drew must overcome his fear of water, and Lucy and Carla must put their differences aside for long enough to rely on each other. Giuliano is an effective filmmaker, and his debut is a promising start to a hopefully long career. The opening proves that he understands the power of sound to create an effective horror film without showing everything, and the river makes for a great setting for a survival horror story. The film is not always effective at utilizing these strengths, and the characters can be frustrating in how one-dimensional they are, but there is confidence in the way Giuliano builds the tension and isolation that makes me excited to see what he does next.

River is not as scary as it intends to be, and its second half moves away from the strength that made it intriguing, but it is a brutal, atmospheric horror film that showcases a filmmaker who understands the value of utilizing the wilderness to create an effective slasher experience.

River had its U.S. Premiere at Fantastic Fest 2026.

Director: Joshua Giuliano

Writer: Joshua Giuliano

Rated: NR

Runtime: 92m

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