‘The Cycle’ Review: One of Shudder’s Finer 2026 Releases
Co-producers Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart, who contributed to Shudder’s V/H/S/Beyond, have co-written a new movie for the streaming service, The Cycle. Directed by Downey, the horror thriller film follows a forensic anthropologist looking into the death of her estranged father.
While Shudder’s promotional trailers don’t reveal too much about the plot, the thrills of this mystery should keep viewers on their toes.
Downey and Stewart’s script and story for The Cycle
Despite The Cycle dragging in its first half-hour or so, the narrative at hand shows promise. Downey and Stewart spend much of the first act dumping exposition. This allows viewers to know more about forensic anthropologist Dr. Megan “Meg” Garland, played by Daredevil: Born Again’s Deborah Ann Woll, and her obscure past.
Where the narrative starts to pick up the pace lies in the unexpected. What is a coincidence for the characters is convenient to the narrative. I appreciate the parallels in trauma shared between Garland and Police Chief Ian Marks’s (Will Hochman) grieving father, Lieutenant Marks (Jeffrey Donovan).
The rhetorical style that Garland employs in referring to Peter Stump (David Myers Gregory) as anything except her father is hard-hitting. There is bottled-up anger, confusion, and frustration from this angle. She perceives him merely as a cadaver to be studied and resolved, and not truly as somebody who was once a human being.
The overarching conflict and how the co-writers aim to work through it eerily mirror what Osgood Perkins accomplished in his horror-mystery film, Longlegs. I love how the passage of time works, with Downey and Stewart giving viewers dates and times of day with a purpose.
By the time The Cycle reaches the final act, the buildup pays off. It meets its promise to satisfy, even if some small details and lines in the narrative may give away the big reveals. Ultimately, the title impresses as akin to a certain film directed by Leigh Whannell about a character’s distress in protecting their family from harm.
The technical aspects of this horror film
Production designer Patrick O’Donnell (who crafted set pieces in a few of V/H/S/Mixtape‘s segments) does a solid job of maintaining a grave tone. The sort of gray and gloomy feel is an outstanding touch, with only sunlight to brighten things up here and there. O’Donnell‘s set pieces appear far more realistic for the creature feature genre, which is to be commended.
Also serving as the director of photography, Stewart captures some good shots. Starting with Garland looking over crime scene photos from February 12th, 2025, he and Downey convey the passage of time in a noteworthy manner.
Previously, Stewart served as the DP on both the “Stork” segment of 2024’s V/H/S/Beyond and the “Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance” segment of this past month’s V/H/S/Mixtape.
Similarly here, the way he frames subjects is skillful, experimenting with kinetic and stationary movement. The camera work is partially what drives the pace up masterfully, better than in, at least, V/H/S/Mixtape.
Music composer Nick Soole‘s score can only be described as gnarly. In one scene during the back half of the narrative, the soundtrack blends seamlessly with sound designer Brian Berger‘s sounds of a dial tone. Considering the crime and horror elements, I’m glad at how this aspect of the narrative turns out.
Associate producer Patrick Magee, who offered his special makeup effects services in the V/H/S franchise from 2021 to 2024, does the makeup effects for this film. Without spoiling what type of creature this movie involves, I can say with certainty that the gore and the horror make this worth the watch. It isn’t perfect, but the makeup effects do have their moments.
The performances of Deborah Ann Woll and others
The Cycle features believable performances from its lead and supporting cast. Gretchen Corbett, who portrays Garland’s single mother, Joni, delivers strong lines about her past with Peter Stump. Although it would have been better to show the audience how they met than just saying it, hearing the lines spoken is fine work.
Will Hochman portrays Chief Ian Marks in such a calm and patient demeanor, notably in the character’s relationship with Garland. Although he might not have as much screen time as I would like, the character handles seriousness well. He takes from his father, Lieutenant Marks, in this way, and Jeffrey Donovan plays that brilliantly threefold.
Deborah Ann Woll may not portray the quintessential final girl role to everyone’s liking. However, the actress’ wider performance as Meg Garland is phenomenal work. With the material she has, a straight and serious face is maintained. I believe that her time on HBO’s True Blood and Marvel’s Daredevil television series helped hone her craft in drama.
I love Garland’s line in her opening scene, “Every dead body has secrets. They just don’t speak the way you and I do.” This works cleverly from both a crime drama and horror perspective, showcasing the need to uncover what was lost.
The Cycle film rating and final thoughts
Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart‘s The Cycle is easy to figure out as a horror film built on generational trauma. This is a sufficiently intelligent creature feature that doubles as a police procedural. Sadly, there must have been a mistake in releasing it as a Shudder exclusive instead of giving it the opportunity to first play in theaters outside Fantastic Fest.
Regardless, this is one of the year’s best additions to the streaming service. The premise holds rewatch value, with characterizations and horror/gothic tropes that are “no-notes,” flawless feats.
The Cycle is now streaming on Shudder.
