Spoiler-free review: The Cycle breathes new life into traditional horror creature
There was a lot of advance buzz on Shudder original The Cycle when it debuted at Fantastic Fest this year. While it did not win any of the festival’s award, it did receive a Special Mention, and two horror notables praised it – both Stephen King and Mike Flanagan raved about it. King said that while he doesn’t usually promote a horror movie that isn’t one of his own, “this is special.”
As for Flanagan, he said it was “smart scary, and unexpected, The Cycle had me howling in delight and surprise.” When two horror icons make a point to praise a new horror film, people sit up and take notice, and I am happy to say that I agree with both men.
Anyone who has watched horror movies will figure out almost immediately what the creature in The Cycle is; the title alone insinuates it, and I figured it out just by virtue of watching the trailer. The joy of The Cycle is not just in discovering the nature of the creature…but that transformation scene is jaw dropping.
The idea of a body farm has always fascinated me, and our main character Dr. Meg Garland (Deborah Ann Woll) runs one. A body farm is an outdoor scientific facility that uses actual human bodies to study the affects of decomposition in different environments…while it sounds disgusting, it’s an important factor in forensics.
Since Meg is considered an expert, it’s no surprise that she is called in when three bodies are discovered in a small town. Two of the bodies are that of a mother and daughter, both seemingly mauled in their home by an animal of some sort. The third body is the one that’s puzzling local police officers Ian (Will Hochman) and his father Marks (Jeffrey Donovan), and the local mortician Ratterman (Jeb Berrier). It’s the body of a man found outside, with no signs of being attacked by an animal, and it appears to be remarkably well preserved given that it’s outside.
The other reason Meg is notified is because this body is that of her father Peter Stump, who left Meg and her mother when she was just a child. While she is conflicted at first, Meg eventually agrees to help with the investigation. Part of the reason for her decision is that she has been having some nightmares involving her Dad.
Once Meg joins Ian, Marks, and Ratterman, the story starts to kick into higher gear. There is much more going on here than a mysterious body, and the eventual reveal pulls us into what turns out to be a very effective horror tale.
The Cycle is part procedural thriller and part horror
The Cycle has the same dark, gritty feel as Silence of the Lambs and Se7en, and the forensic aspects of it were fascinating. Woll (who also played fledging vampire Jessica in True Blood) was a great choice for Meg. She shows her emotions so clearly on her face, and you can really feel how conflicted she is about resenting her dad walking out on her, yet also wanting to find out more about him and how he died.
Jeffrey Donovan (Michael Weston on Burn Notice) is a great partner for her as Marks. Quiet and serious, he plans his moves carefully, but acts swiftly when needed.
David Myers Gregory is strong and eerie as Peter Stump, Meg’s father. Every time he was on screen, my heart rate increased. And Berrier gave off biker vibes as the easily irritated Ratterman. What can often make or break a horror movie for me is the character development (or lack thereof), and the characters are all strong and relatable in The Cycle.
I have to give major, major props to Patrick Magee, who did the practical special effects for The Cycle. The big transformation scene is riveting to watch, and while I know that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, the few people out there criticizing it are dead wrong. It always thrills me to see practical effects when it would be quicker and easier to use CGI or AI, and Magee did a fantastic job.
I have long been a promoter of Shudder’s original films, and it’s my hope that The Cycle will encourage people who enjoy it to check out the originals they may have missed. In fact, I wrote an article about some of them, you can check it out here!
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