Osgood Perkins' Keeper Review: The Finale Fumbles, But Originality Wins Out

Osgood Perkins has been on a roll lately, and every time he drops a new horror movie, my ears perk up. His stuff is weird in a way most studio horror just isn’t anymore, and yeah, that makes him polarizing. I’ll take polarizing over paint-by-numbers any day. His latest, 'Keeper,' sticks to his lane: chilly, precise, unsettling. It doesn’t play like the version you expect going in, and that’s kind of the point.

What 'Keeper' is actually about (without ruining it)

The premise sounds simple: a couple heads to a secluded cabin for an anniversary trip, and then something dark makes itself known. The place has a past, the air gets heavy, and the relationship on display is... not thriving.

From the first shot, there’s something off between Liz (Maslany) and Malcolm (Sutherland). Their conversations have this strange, stilted charge that makes you lean forward, waiting for whatever’s rotting under the floorboards to break through. The marketing has kept things close to the chest, and that’s for the best. This is one of those movies where knowing less is a feature, not a bug.

'Go in as blind as you can; Keeper wants to be experienced, not explained.'

How it plays

'Keeper' is a slow burn, but not the dragging kind. It’s more of a steady, patient soak in mystery. The scares skew subtle; most of the violence happens off-screen. What you get instead are images that stick with you: unnerving compositions and a few beats that feel inspired by classic Japanese horror. A handful of moments gave me actual shivers, which is rare these days.

The craft: gorgeous and fussy (in a good way)

Perkins shoots the hell out of this thing. The movie is full of beautiful frames and he leans hard on editing choices that aren’t trendy right now: lots of fades and dissolves that blend scenes together in ways that echo the story’s unease. It’s showy without feeling gimmicky, and it keeps the setup phase engaging while the movie quietly explains what the cabin really is.

Performances and the wobble at the end

As a piece of writing, the film doesn’t completely nail its finale. The ideas are there; the landing is a little bumpy. But the direction and imagery do a lot of heavy lifting, and it ultimately worked for me. It helps that Tatiana Maslany is terrific — this is very much her showcase — and Sutherland matches her in selling a relationship that’s frayed, complicated, and a little scary in its own right.

Where it sits in the Perkins-verse

If you’ve vibed with Perkins before, this will feel of a piece: singular, chilly, and not designed to please everyone. I wouldn’t put it on the same tier as 'Longlegs' or 'The Monkey', but it’s still a sharp, distinctive entry that proves he’s not interested in doing the same thing as everyone else. In a movie year drowning in sequels and remakes, that counts for a lot.

• Vibe: slow-burn mystery with unsettling imagery over in-your-face horror
• Gore: minimal; most violence is off-screen
• Influences: flashes of classic Japanese horror in the visuals
• Standout: Tatiana Maslany, full stop
• Form: lots of elegant fades/dissolves and careful shot composition
• Caveat: the finale doesn’t fully come together, but the mood and craft carry it
• My take: Good — a solid 7
• Release: in theaters November 14, 2025