A creepy thriller has got the ultimate seal of approval from the reigning king of horror, Stephen King, meaning we need to see it immediately.
Fresh from stints in Smile and Scream 5, Kyle Gallner led the way in Strange Darling beside Willa Fitzgerald, Ed Begley Jr and Barbara Hershey, with JT Mollner serving as director and writer.
The flick, released in US cinemas in August, follows the story of a killer embarking on a ‘vicious murder spree’ after a one night stand, but the trailer gives absolutely nothing away about what actually goes down.
‘This is a dramatisation of the true story of the final known killings of the prolific and unique American serial killer of the 21st Century,’ a cryptic voiceover declares at the beginning of the teaser.
As ‘The Lady’ (Willa) and ‘The Demon’ (Kyle) appear to grow closer, she warns that she wants ‘something romantic’ – but is also ‘just trying to have a great time’.
Does she get her wish or will something darker occur?
The movie is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video now, but it is not clear when it will be released on streaming platforms.
The synopsis simply reads: ‘Nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree.’
Despite the vague details, Stephen – who has authored It, The Shining and Pet Sematary – couldn’t help but rave about the movie on social media.
In a post that has since been deleted, he told fans: ‘I got an advance screener of STRANGE DARLING, and it’s really terrific.
‘I’ll try to attach the trailer here, because it’s also a clever masterpiece. Can’t say more; watch the film and you’ll understand what the trailer is up to.’
As well as Stephen’s praise, Strange Darling currently boasts a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, boasting a solid 95% from hugely impressed critics, compared to an audience rating of 85%.
Trace Thurman from Bloody Disgusting described it as ‘a relentless thrill ride of a film that acts as an extended, feature-length chase scene.’
Bee Delores from B-Sides & Badlands praised: ‘Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald electrify the screen.
‘Each delivers career-defining performances that audiences won’t soon forget; especially Fitzgerald, who exercises such bold acting technique that she’s almost unrecognizable.’
‘Strange Darling is the year’s best thriller and a chilling escape from the searing hot summer heatwave,’ InSession Film’s MN Miller agreed.
As Rocco T Thompson, from Daily Dead, added: ‘A twisty cat and mouse thriller so overstuffed with delicious elements that it’s constantly on the verge of becoming too much of a good thing.’
Kyle is clearly loving delving into creepier characters, briefly appearing in Scream 5 in 2022 and taking a bigger role in the truly terrifying Smile that same year.
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He reprised his role as Joel in the upcoming Smile 2 sequel last month, beside Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt and Lukas Gage.
This article was originally published on August 14.
Strange Darling is available to rent or purchase digitally now.
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