Spoiler-Free Reviews: IN A COLD VEIN and BLOCKHEAD (FrightFest 2025)

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September 2, 2025

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Film Festivals | Movies | Reviews | Thriller

Written by Joseph Perry

Joseph Perry is the Film Festival Editor for Horror Fuel; all film festival related queries and announcements should be sent to him at josephperry@gmail.com. He is a contributing writer for the "Phantom of the Movies VideoScope" and “Drive-In Asylum” print magazines and the websites Gruesome Magazine, Diabolique Magazine, The Scariest Things, B&S About Movies, and When It Was Cool. He is a co-host of the "Uphill Both Ways" pop culture nostalgia podcast and also writes for its website. Joseph occasionally proudly co-writes articles with his son Cohen Perry, who is a film critic in his own right. A former northern Californian and Oregonian, Joseph has been teaching, writing, and living in South Korea since 2008.

IN A COLD VEIN (U.S., 2025)

Official synopsis: After escaping a would-be assassination, a professional criminal (Evan Gamble as Dean) will stop at nothing to find who is behind his attempted murder, and to make sure his family is safe.

Writer/director/composer Eric Owen does assured work at the helm of In a Cold Vein, and though the “highly skilled criminal seeking revenge” storyline might not be the most original of plots, Owen, cast (the performances are all solid), and crew serve up enough style and spirited action that the film is well worth a watch. Who is likely responsible for Dean’s plight gets telegraphed rather early on, but the ride — part of the film is a dark take on road trip stories — is an exciting one nevertheless. Although suspenseful throughout, In a Cold Vein does an admirable job of shifting tones, beginning with comic elements involving two assassins (P. Michael Hayes II and Brian Villalobos in amusing performances) before segueing into decidedly darker territory.

BLOCKHEAD (U.K., 2025)

Official synopsis: A failing novelist [Danny Horn as Will Mercer] desperate for inspiration thinks his muse appears to him in the form of a drunk, psychotic decorator [Joe Sims as Mikey]. As his novel takes shape, his life spirals and erupts into a violent chaos, but his next piece could just possibly be genius.

With Blockhead, writer/director Matt Harlock mashes up the writer’s block and “Real person or subconscious?” fear-fare subgenres to solid effect. Mercer is well into his downward spiral when viewers first meet him, and Mikey is an unlikely but rather perfect foil to get him started on the sophomore novel he just can’t seem to create. Harlock puts Mercer through the wringer, and Horn nails the desperation of his character. Sims is a force as Mikey, and the supporting players — including Hussina Raja as Mercer’s girlfriend Daisy and fellow writer Maggie (Michele Moran) — all give fine performances. Blockhead treads in familiar Jekyll and Hyde/descent into madness territory but Harlock delivers a well crafted, often surreal take on matters.