Subversive, clever slashers are difficult to come by, especially ones that do not just feel like carbon copy Scream clones. While The Red Mask certainly has so many meta trademarks of that iconic horror franchise, it surprisingly feels original, a decidedly queer-forward flick with plenty to say about the state of the genre. Screenwriting duo Patrick Robert Young and Samantha Gurash deliver bold character moments and bloody mayhem in equal measure. Their script skewers tropes and takes aim at toxic fandom. At the center of the action are a quartet of electrified performances, given room to breathe thanks to an effective single-setting locale. Setting out to reboot a sacred horror franchise, a queer director must live up to the impossible task or die trying in sharp-edged creative slasher, The Red Mask.
The film centers on Allina (Helena Howard, I Saw the TV Glow, Shoplifters of the World), a lesbian screenwriter struggling to complete her draft of the reboot to legendary fictional franchise, The Red Mask. Along for the ride is her girlfriend, Deetz (Inanna Sarkis, Seance, Boo 2! A Madea Halloween), content to role play their way through every possible scenario at their rented Airbnb. The duo gives good masked killer as if their very lives depended on it—certainly, if Allina gets this wrong, her Hollywood career could be snuffed out before it has even begun. As the death threats roll in from online trolls and maniacal “fans,” Allina contemplates what she can possibly inject into the franchise to appease them while still keeping it fresh enough to matter.
Their quiet creative retreat is soon interrupted by two strangers claiming to have a booked reservation at the very same Airbnb. Ryan (Jake Abel, The Host, Malignant) and Claire (Kelli Garner, Horns, Bully) seem normal enough, if a bit obsessed with pop culture at large. What initially feels like an awkward mix-up quickly curdles into menace. The pair are obsessive fans of The Red Mask, and they force Allina and Deetz into a deadly “game” that mirrors the very slasher tropes of the series. On paper, the only item that has been placed at stake is an uber rare uncut VHS tape of the original film. In reality, Allina and Deetz are gambling with their lives as the twisted game gets underway.
Green stages the violence with ferocity and inventiveness. The kills are visceral and executed with practical effects, recalling the physicality of the golden age in horror cinema. At a very minimal, there’s a death here that undoubtedly uses a bear trap in the best way since The Collector. Beyond the gore, we continually circle back to the thesis: toxic fandom will never be satisfied unless checking off boxes that will appease to them. In an era where every keystroke supports a divisive extreme between love and hate, the only real way to make art is to stay true to oneself in both vision and technique.
There may be comparisons to Scream and Funny Games, both of which are explicitly referenced in dialogue. As the quartet discuss potential motives for the rebooted franchise flick, they spitball the motives from both Scream and Scream 3. The home invasion subgenre of horror almost always blends well with slasher. But the homages are in service of the greater whole, transforming The Red Mask into an energetic mashup of its own making. These characters, especially Allina and Deetz, are not merely fodder for the body count. By keeping the cast small, the script is able to subvert expectations around every jagged bend.
The Red Mask is ultimately pure indie horror—a simple movie with a great message, unafraid of tackling controversial topics through a genre lens. It does the job and then some, managing to impress despite low budget trappings. The central relationship at the core of the story keeps the subject fresh, especially given the well-traversed realities of a secluded location accompanied by a masked maniac. Exciting and engaging, The Red Mask beautifully pens a new chapter in the horror canon in a nostalgia-smashing modern throwback.
The Red Mask debuted at 2025’s FrightFest UK.
What did you think of the actors? Anyone specifically had you thinking “what an actor?” I haven’t seen any reviews of the acting.