Fantasia Fest 2026: ‘No Rest for the Wicked’ Review
No Rest for the Wicked is an unusually haunting title at Fantasia International Film Festival. One that speaks to the challenges of same-sex relationships through the lens of a supernatural story. The setting is far in the past, but its core themes remain true. The act of love can be treated like a curse by the family members of the LGBTQ+ community. And that treatment can unfortunately lead to tragic places. The movie, by Kasper Kalle, almost feels like a thesis on how nothing has changed since the days of superstition. The tone is dreary and dark, but the topic is undeniably timeless.
Directed by Kalle, written by Rasmus Birch, and adapted from a short story by Karl Heinreich Ulrichs, No Rest for the Wicked centers on Egor Venned’s character Baldur. Baldur is a lonely fisherman who lives an isolated life on Faroe Island with his mother, Asla (Sofia Nolsøe), a reserved woman with deeply religious ties to the island’s community.
While fishing on the rocky shores of the island, Baldur can hear the calls for help from a man stuck without an oar on a vicious coast. He attempts to rescue the stranger, but the stranger ends up having to rescue Baldur when he accidentally falls overboard. Cinematographer Jacob Møller photographs lush underwater sequences, making the inner ocean feel like another dimensional realm. And as the stranger rescues Baldur from this tranquil environment, we learn that he is a whaler named Helge (Pilou Asbæk).
Kasper Kalle’s haunting romance about condemnation
For his courageous act, Helge earns enough respect to be shown hospitality by Asla, who offers him lodging. Over time, Helge and Baldur begin to form a bond. Helge discusses the wonders of trees and how Faroe Island has none—further insisting that everyone should see a tree once in their life, especially Baldur. What begins as a friendly bond evolves into intimacy. And when intimacy transforms into passion, Asla unintentionally sees them both in the act.
No Rest for the Wicked then evokes a tragic narrative where two people in love fall victim to time and circumstance. The real world and the world beyond our understanding keep them distant. But the strongest force is prejudice and religious superstition.
Asla’s beliefs are shared with others on the island that, theologically, Baldur and Helge’s love is a matter of sin. And with sin comes evil; therefore, the love they share is a curse to the island. However, one scene has Asla witnessing one of them sucking a bloody nipple, and that is the only moment where a parent might be justifiably concerned about their kid.
Thematically, it shares some similarities with All of Us Strangers. The type of LGBTQ+ story that deeply meditates on the exterior factors that destroy the lives of same-sex couples. And similarly to All of Us Strangers, many elements are surprisingly spiritual. Only here, the parents are less supportive, and instead of an apartment building, numerous visual shots feel like the Banshees of Inisherin.
No Rest for the Wicked is a deeply haunting romance
Like the Fantasia 2026 title, When You Open The Door, this film uses a classic monster and attempts a fresh approach to the core ideas. For No Rest for the Wicked, it’s implied to be a haunting vision of vampires. Not the atypical monster that feasts at night. Instead, the undead are bound to return by love and devotion through the mysteries of the sea.
The writing cleverly incorporates new ideas, such as possession through a moving puddle. And if that sounds strange, it’s because it is. However, the execution is uniquely disturbing to watch someone drown from simply stepping into a small area of water.
Overall, No Rest for the Wicked is a deeply haunting romance about the cost of loving someone in a world that sees it as evil and the immense fortitude to overcome painful barriers that prevent that romance from blossoming. It’s heavily atmospheric, beautifully shot, and sometimes overly gloomy in its aesthetic. Judging it simply as a romance, gay, straight, or otherwise, the story carries thoughtful emotion across any spectrum.
Egor Venned and Pilou Asbæk give the love story so much gravitas. There are multiple scenes, especially the bloody nipple, that will stir conversation.
