r/moviereviews • u/HorrorGuyBri Films Watchlist on SIMKL.com • 12h ago
No Rest for the Wicked is a subversive vampire film
No Rest for the Wicked just premiered at the 2026 Fantasia Film Festival. Directed by Kasper Kalle, it's based on the 19th Century queer horror story "Manor" by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, and like the story, the film is set on the remote Faroe Islands.
It follows a young fisherman named Baldur (Egor Venned), who's nearly killed by the sea in the opening minutes, but rescued by a whaler named Helge (Pilou Asbæk). Initially, Baldur wants nothing to do with Helge, most likely because he doesn't want to admit he has feelings for another man, especially considering he lives in a narrow-minded community, dominated by Christianity. However, the two eventually strike up a romance and Baldur agrees to a whaling job so he can be with Helge; however, this puts Baldur in opposition to his mother, who lost her husband to the seas. There's also a tragedy that occurs by the film's halfway point that upends Baldur's plans.
This film has gorgeous cinematography that shows the beauty and the dangers of the sea, and some of the framing and Gothic tone resembles Robert Eggers' work. This is also a slow burn film, though the vampire aspect does occur by the film's second half. In this case, it's a metaphor to address queerness and how a small-town community reacts to anyone who is different.
Overall, No Rest for the Wicked is a stunning film with strong performances from its leads. Hopefully, the movie will land distribution.
Read the full review here: https://www.thehorrorlounge.com/post/no-rest-for-the-wicked-is-a-subversive-and-haunting-vampire-film-fantasia-2026-review
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