River // Imagine Fantastic Film Fest 2026 Review

Fantastic Fest may be over, but I’m still pulling up with thoughts on movies. I swiped a last-minute ticket to a showing of River (2026) after unsuccessfully refreshing the fest app for days, and personally, I felt like this movie didn’t disappoint. Written and directed by Joshua Giuliano, River was a steady-paced film, but a tense tale of a siblings day out gone awry.

Why Are They Even Outside?

One of the few themes that kept weaving in and out of damn near every movie at Fantastic Fest was grief, and River had plenty of it. We follow three siblings as they navigate life post the death of their Father. Lucy ( Jane Levy), Carla (Jessica Rothe), and Drew (Max Mattern) decide to have an intimate memorial for their recently deceased dad on a local river they frequented as children. During said memorial, we get a wee taste of the sibling dynamics within this trio.

Lucy, the oldest who somewhat attempts to “reshape” their collective experience with their Dad. Drew is the quiet sibling who tries to remain positive during the memorial, but is reminded of the horrific experiences they’ve compartmentalized regarding their father when a drowning incident is mentioned. Carla refuses to wear rose colored glasses regarding their newly transitioned parent, and calls out his abuse and its long-lasting impact. Grief is ever-flowing. Sometimes showing up in trickles or in waves, and it was interesting watching these siblings try to move through this period.

Personally, I am the oldest of three, and although my father isn’t exactly like their dad, I clocked some similarities in the sibling dynamics that stuck with me. It also made me call my brother post-film, but that’s another chat for another day. I don’t think I’ve seen a movie (to date) with sibling dynamics that somewhat closely align with my own, so I appreciated the representation.

The Kills Are Killing

One thing that River did not lack was gnarly kills and masked killers to crank up the fear. We don’t learn much about the why from our killers, which is always wonderful news in my book. However, we do know they work in pairs and do not let up. Dane DiLiegro plays our male masked murderer. Between his towering form, fast Olympic swimming, and endless skull-crushing skills, these killers snatched me and these siblings bald. We learn he isn’t working alone, but is paired up with a horror baddie in biker shorts, making this the tag team from hell. We get a little backstory on our killers (not too much!), but I appreciate the space to leave us wanting to know more about them. Is this cult funtivities? Or is this random Friday night antics? Tune in next week on Dragon Ball Z to find out.

In the spirit of shining a light on abuse and family dynamics, the ending of this film somewhat sent me reeling when we discover the true nature of the relationship between our masked killers on the shoreline. Outside of them being our neighborhood sickos, we learn they also have an interesting family dynamic. Toward the end of the movie, we experience the audio retelling of what happens between Drew and the child he crosses paths with when our siblings finally make it off the river and fight for their lives. Between the imagery conjured up via the auditory moment and the harrowing facts, I was floored and did not see that ending coming.

Upstream or Downstream?

Ultimately, I think that River will give you what you’re looking for if you’re into experiencing endless blood, guts, and ass on screen. The film does a decent job of narration and transitioning through various scenarios, without holding your hand. I would give this movie 3.5 boozy speedboat missions for those who like slasher antics along a shoreline.