There’s a degree of removal in Perpetrator which some viewers may find jarring: most visibly, in the performances, whose heightened sensitivity can seem unlikely for a horror film. That said, director Jennifer Reeder’s main conceit here is to entertain and make you think, and she doesn’t want you to get too comfortable. In the central concept of “Forevering,” a family curse spell that Jonny goes through, Reeder vests her character with metamorphic potential, and with that, ignites hope for a future that is better for women and for horror cinema as a whole. But the film is not overly intellectual. It’s rather intuitive in its world-building and celebrates horror’s final girl trope in a well-deserved way. A little gore, some slasher tropes, LGBTQ+ themes, and strong central characters make it a perfect pre-Halloween treat.
"Emotionality is reframed as a potent weapon, rather than a flaw misogynistically invoked to deem women incapable, in Perpetrator, a smart high-school body horror in which empathy takes on supernatural qualities."
— Carmen Gray
"There are satisfying genre elements, to be sure, Perpetrator cannot be accused of playing it safe."
— Jude Dry
Jonny Baptiste is a reckless teen sent to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie. On the event of her eighteenth birthday, she experiences a radical metamorphosis: a family spell that redefines her called Forevering. When several teen girls go missing at her new school, a mythically feral Jonny goes after the Perpetrator.
Strange things happen to 17 year-old Jonny (Kiah McKirnan) that ultimately lead her to her estranged aunt Hildie (Alicia Silverstone), who can teach her a scary thing or two about womanhood.
Reeder's films are some of contemporary horror's best-kept secrets, and Perpetrator is no exception. Instead of cheap thrills, you get clever, convoluted narratives, pay-offs, and a feminist kick without the extra dogmatism. Silverstone is absolutely perfect as the mysterious goth aunt who bestows wisdom through riddles and cakes, which serves as a distant, but potent echo of her few thriller roles (such as Jennifer in The Babysitter). Newcomer McKirnan also gives it her all and fits into Reeder's stylized universe remarkably well. But in addition to its bloodbaths and body horror, Perpetrator is a sharp critique of female-targeted violence and an ode to kinship.
In a world where horror has been associated with women's oppression, Perpetrator bites down to the bone.
Berlin
1 nomination
