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The Cycle

Play trailer Poster for The Cycle 2026 1h 51m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
95% Tomatometer 41 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
When the body of a man missing for thirty-six years is discovered at the scene of a horrific crime, it's up to his estranged daughter to unravel his dark past.
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The Cycle

Critics Reviews

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Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News Oct 22, 2026
3/4
“The Cycle” loads up on gore and some grossout scenes (those maggots gave me the heebie-jeebies) and keeps us on edge throughout, and then throws everything his limited budget can for a bloody, satisfying finale. Go to Full Review
Leslie Felperin Guardian Oct 20, 2026
2/5
It’s a shame that the hardcore creature-feature stuff is a letdown because the drama leading up to it isn’t bad. Go to Full Review
Katie Rife Inverse Oct 5, 2026
Based on his resume, you might not expect Jordan Downey to make a movie as deathly serious as The Cycle. But he’s done exactly that, and quite successfully so, with this grim and gruesome blend of serial-killer thriller and supernatural horror. Go to Full Review
Joseph Robinson Fish Jelly Films (YouTube) 1 hr ago
3.5/5
Gruesome and intriguing, The Cycle blends taut suspense with highly effective creature horror. Impressive practical effects and meticulous craftsmanship breathe new life into a familiar trope. Go to Full Review
Chris Sawin Video Librarian Magazine 1 day ago
4.5/5
What The Cycle is hiding is hidden so well, but it is brought to light with spectacular special effects and impressive gore that transforms the film into something truly nasty, unsettling, and memorable. Go to Full Review
Abbie Bernstein Assignment X 3 days ago
B
The Cycle is just different enough to feel relatively fresh, and it delivers on both the procedural and horror fronts. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Matthew M @RT83205859 3 hrs ago Such a smart take on a werewolf movie. The practical effects were amazing and it’s the best-looking werewolf I have seen in a long time. Absolutely terrifying! See more Matthew K @MattKilledKelly 4 hrs ago Before it’s even horror, it’s a great crime thriller. the practical effect choices are exactly what we horror fans have been begging to have back for many years. See more Paul W @Woodfamreviews 4 hrs ago I was pleasantly surprised by this actually and even though im a huge horror fan im normally a hard sell on these movies including well the bad guy I guess. But they pulled it off. The work that they put into the movie definitely felt like it had love going into it all around from the practical effects to the actors really doing the roles justice. By the time I started to get unattractive with the story it picked righ up with the stuff we want from these movies. Whoever worked on the monsters did a really good job. See more Campbell M @RT92897152 13 hrs ago A great movie. It is ultimately a creature feature but the lovely attention to detail sets it apart. The small interactions between characters, such as gently reclosing a door so as not to disturb a grieving relative, give this an authentic feel. It creates an atmosphere where you care about the main characters. I was genuinely surprised and mesmerised when the monster was first shown. The monster itself is a little "cheap" looking. But it is the story that makes this film. Yes it is a little silly in.its premise about the workd of monsters but suspend your disbelief and it is fantastic. Well written, well filmed and great acting. I thought it a fabulous film and a must watch. See more Wesker M @Wesker 14 hrs ago Soooo boring. Lame monster movie with some silly, unreal parts. Not a horror movie. Just a medical drama mostly. See more Thomas V @tjvguy 17 hrs ago The first half of this movie was really good. It was all about forensics and it had a very interesting story. The second half, when the werewolf revealed itself, was ridiculous. First of all, the transformation was a total and complete rip-off of An American Werewolf in London. I do appreciate the practical effects, but the build-up that they achieved in the first half of the movie was completely destroyed once the werewolf was revealed. I'm giving the movie two stars for the first half of the movie and zero stars for the second half. Everything they built up to was ruined in the last half of the film. See more Read all reviews
The Cycle

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis When the body of a man missing for thirty-six years is discovered at the scene of a horrific crime, it's up to his estranged daughter to unravel his dark past.
Director
Jordan Downey
Screenwriter
Jordan Downey, Kevin Stewart
Distributor
Shudder
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 23, 2026
Runtime
1h 51m
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