FILM REVIEW: Popeye The Slayer Man (2025)

Popeye The Slayer Man - New Release Review

Director: Robert Michael Ryan

Starring: Jason Robert Stephens, Elena Juliano, Mabel Thomas, Marie-Louise Boisnier, Sean Michael Conway

Written by: John Doolan, E.C. Segar

Produced by: Jeff Milner, Cuyle Carvin, Robert Michael Ryan

Cinematography by: Korey Rowe

Original Score by: Dustin Treinen

Synopsis:

A curious group of friends sneak into an abandoned spinach canning factory to investigate the legend of the "Sailor Man," who is said to haunt the factory and local docks.

Thoughts:

We now live in the age of "public domain horror" were it seems like every few months a brand new horror movie based on a childhood favourite is being released. Most of them are low budget and are certainly not cinematic marvels, however if you give them a chance, you might actually enjoy them for what they are. Grab your popcorn (or can of spinach, whatever) because 'Popeye The Slayer Man' is cheesy slasher entertainment at it's...well not it's best but fun nonetheless.

The quirkly named Anchor Bay Canning Company is a derelict factory building that hasn't been in operation for 20 years. It sits on an old dock in a quiet part of town and it's about to be torn down as a tax right-off because, as revealed by owner and buisnessman Lex, the factory "had been loosing money for years" and that tearing it down in favour of reopening it was "purely a business decision". Nothing else on the horizon fuelled his reasoning behind the demolition, especially not the fact that a crude rumour involving a dead and very angry sailor who might be haunting the building.

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Local filmmaker Dexter recruits a group of friends to help him shoot a documentary inside the factory building about the local urban legend of the "Sailor Man", said to be lingering, hoping to be reunited with his long, lost love. While Dexter is leading the group's mission, it's Olivia who seems the most interested in the backstory. Despite warnings from Bernie, the old drunk sitting at the bar and the "Harbinger of Doom"character, the group still decide to go through with their plan. Bernie isn't the only one opposed to them trespassing on the building. Katie's obnoxious and abusing boyfriend doesn't take too kindly to her ditching him for Dexter's project.

Group breaks into an abandoned building at night supposedly haunted by a murderous ghost. What could go wrong?

"If someone is killing you, just scream, we'll come find you."

'Popeye The Slayer Man' knows exactly what it is and it doesn't take itself too seriously. So in that regard it is a success. It's cheesy. It's funny (a spinach can slowly rolls out of the darkness, not once but twice) And it's full of gory, over the top kills. The actual abc's of the film are pretty good, despite some questionable acting and a generic script. It's full of exposition, as most slashers of this kind are, and there's not any stand outs from the ensemble sadly. But the positives are there too. The prosthetic mask is very impressive even though they show way too much of it. And Popeye as a slayer actually works but I would've liked to see a little bit more character work rather than just seeing him strut and grunt his way down the hallways.

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As mentioned above, the kills are gruesome and hilarious. Most horror fans will probably giggle with perverse delight at some of the murders. Wrists split in half. Intestines ripped out for all to see. Heads crushed to mush. Hair being torn directly from the scalp. Some of the kills are done off screen and we only get to see the aftermath.

Visually it's a bit bland. The majority of the camera work is shot straight ahead and we just see too much of Popeye from the opening scene. The lighting is ok for the most part but the entire film just has that generic blue hue. It doesn't have much life. And even the score feels generic, mostly stock music, leaving it less than cinematic with little atmosphere. I did like how they incorporated some horror tropes into the lore. There's the nursery rhyme that all kids were told when they were younger. A cautionary tale to keep them away from the docks. And the contaminated spinach incident was a nice inclusion to the story.

Overall 'Popeye The Slayer Man' really "is what it is". A fun slasher that should make you laugh, cringe, roll your eyes, wince and laugh some more.

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️

-Gavin Logan

'Popeye The Slayer Man' is available o Prime SVOD this July