‘The Cycle’ Review: Rewrites True Crime for Diehard Horror Fans! [Fantastic Fest]

Jordan Downey has made a career in crafting films with incredible practical effects. From the campy Thankskilling to the dour Head Hunter to the disgustingly delightful segment in V/H/S/Beyond, Downey has proved time and time again that he knows how to craft gnarly creatures and nauseating kills through primarily practical means. And his latest film, The Cycle, which had its world premiere at the 2026 edition of Fantastic Fest, is his best work so far, both visually and narratively. The film, which boasts a career-defining performance from Deborah Ann Woll, begins as what seems like a typical true crime thriller. But Downey puts a horrific spin on it that should not be spoiled! I repeat: don’t let yourself be spoiled on this one if you can!

Woll stars as Dr. Meg Garland, a forensic anthropologist who runs a facility called The Body Farm. Here, she teaches FBI agents about how bodies decompose in different environments, helps solve cold cases, and uses cutting-edge technology to learn more about the dead. She’s an expert in cadavers– a woman obsessed with the dead. But her obsession is put to the test when one day, she receives news that the body of her father has been found near a grisly crime scene. 

There are some complications, though. First, Meg hasn’t seen her father since she was four. It’s been 34 years since he seemingly vanished into thin air, abandoning Meg and her mother without a single word. Now, he’s very dead. That leads to the second issue: it doesn’t seem like his body is related to the crime scene. There are a few too many question marks around the case, and Meg joins with local police father-son duo (Jeffrey Donovan and Will Hochman, respectively) to try and solve the mystery of what exactly happened to her father. As their investigation continues and they reveal even more troubling clues, more bodies start to pile up, and they start to realize something much weirder is going on with this dead body.

At first, this is a well-executed true crime thriller with some weird clues sprinkled throughout. Something odd and otherworldly is definitely afoot, but Downey never makes it too obvious where his story is leading. As their investigation progresses, the puzzle pieces start slotting together, and the eventual reveal, if you’ve managed to remain unspoiled, will have you cheering in your seat. It’s a much-needed, well-executed take on an under-utilized subgenre.