Popeye’s Revenge is a 2025 British slasher film that reimagines the familiar spinach-eating sailor as a violent, vengeful killer. With Popeye entering the public domain, director William Stead and writer Harry Boxley created a dark reinterpretation that departs entirely from the character’s comedic roots. The film was produced by ITN Studios, known for their low-budget horror titles and reinterpretations of classic characters, though it does not share continuity with any of their existing cinematic universes.
Plot Synopsis
Set in a quiet coastal town in the United Kingdom, the story begins with the troubling childhood of Johnny, a boy born with oversized forearms and a pronounced chin. His appearance makes him the focus of constant bullying, and after a bully injures his friend, Johnny snaps and kills the tormentor. Terrified for their son’s future, Johnny’s parents hide him in their basement, passing notes beneath the door to comfort him—messages later revealed to be written by his sister, Olive Oyl.
Fearing the strange child, townspeople form a mob and set the family home ablaze. Johnny’s parents perish, and while Johnny escapes the fire, he is believed to have drowned in a nearby lake. The tragedy fades into local legend.
Fifteen years later, a group of friends—Tara, Dylan, Donna, and others—inherit the rebuilt home, unaware of the horrors tied to it. They intend to convert it into a summer camp or haunted attraction, but soon unsettling disturbances begin. As fog drifts in from the lake, Popeye and Olive Oyl reemerge, launching a violent killing spree against anyone who disturbs their territory. The fog becomes the symbol of Popeye’s return, signaling another round of vengeance.
Wach the official Trailer
Critical Reception & Ratings
Popeye’s Revenge received largely negative reactions from critics and audiences. The film holds 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on limited critical coverage. Audience responses were only slightly more generous, with a 47% approval rating and many viewers characterizing it as so-bad-it’s-entertaining.
On IMDb, the film has earned a modest 3.1/10 from more than 2,200 user ratings. Letterboxd users were even more critical, with the film averaging 1.5 out of 5 stars from over 4,000 reviews, a significant portion of which rated it at the lowest possible score.
Metacritic did not issue a formal Metascore due to the lack of sufficient professional reviews, though MovieInsider reports a user rating of 1.0/5, one of the lowest on the platform.
Individual Critical Reviews
MovieWeb gave the film 30/100, criticizing it as “a bloody imitation without brains or brawn,” pointing to a weak plot, uneven tone, and poor execution.
Collider’s Matt Donato awarded it 40/100, noting that while a few kills are amusing, the overall pacing and character work drag the film down, leaving the setup far more sluggish than expected.
Culture Crypt scored it 35/100, praising some of the brutal effects but criticizing the lack of narrative cohesion and the missed opportunity to lean into more creative Popeye-themed elements.
The Horror Syndicate noted that most of the film’s budget appears to have gone toward costume and gore effects, with little left for writing or character development. The pacing was described as “slogging along like it’s a three-hour movie” despite the short runtime.
Moria Reviews awarded 2.5/5 stars, acknowledging the film’s standard slasher formula and noting that while many scenes are derivative, the gore effects provide some of the movie’s few standout moments.
Genre Classification
| Genre Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Horror | Slasher film featuring graphic violence and gore |
| B-Horror | Low-budget production with campy tone and limited resources |
| Slasher Horror | Follows traditional ’80s slasher structure with sequential kills |
Technical Aspects & Production
Popeye’s Revenge runs for 79 minutes and was released on February 13, 2025, through Video on Demand platforms. Six days later, it became available on Amazon Prime Video, followed by releases on Peacock and Fandango at Home. Produced on a modest budget by ITN Studios, the film was shot in the United Kingdom and follows the company’s established tradition of reimagining public domain characters within low-budget horror frameworks.
Despite the production constraints, some critics noted moments of technical competence. One viewer remarked that the film avoided the shaky handheld aesthetic common in microbudget horrors, with scenes showing clearer composition and stable framing. Still, the limited funding is evident in areas such as lighting, sound quality, and set design, which vary significantly from scene to scene.
Steven Murphy’s portrayal of Popeye received mixed reactions. Some reviewers appreciated the exaggerated physicality of the character, describing him as “a gigantic grinning beast of a man, impossible to take seriously but absolutely perfect in his role.” Others criticized the makeup and costume design, noting that certain prosthetics were poorly applied and visibly loose in a few scenes. The anchor weapon and oversized forearms were frequently highlighted as fun visual touches, even by harsher critics.
The practical gore effects are widely considered the film’s strongest asset. Kill sequences include decapitations, amputations with an anchor, spine extractions, breast implant explosions, and tractor-based deaths. These moments provide the film’s highest entertainment value, even if they do not match the extremity or creativity of more polished contemporary slashers.
Major Criticisms
Plot Incoherence
The most common complaint among viewers centers on the film’s narrative structure. The Reddit r/horror discussion highlighted major gaps in storytelling, including unclear motivations, missing backstory segments, and an abrupt shift in tone. Critics noted that the movie fails to explain how Popeye survived his apparent drowning, why he ages differently from others, or how the fog triggers his reappearance.
Character Development
Many reviewers felt the characters were thinly written and lacked distinct personalities. Several roles rely heavily on stereotypes, including the influencer archetype and the disengaged boyfriend. Dialogue is frequently described as flat or filler-like, contributing to a sense that characters exist primarily to be killed off rather than to drive the story. Even Tara, the closest the film has to a protagonist, receives minimal development.
Pacing Issues
Despite its short runtime, the film often feels slow. Viewers pointed out that the opening title card does not appear until approximately 15 minutes into the film, creating an uneven rhythm. Several scenes linger longer than necessary, while others rush through moments that could have contributed to stronger tension or emotional grounding.
Missed Opportunities
A recurring frustration among longtime Popeye fans is the film’s refusal to embrace or creatively distort the character’s iconic traits. There are no memorable one-liners, no clever twists on classic Popeye jokes, and few narrative callbacks to the character’s history. Reviewers noted that the concept had potential for dark humor or surreal creativity, but instead leans on generic slasher tropes.
Box Office & Release Strategy
Because Popeye’s Revenge was released exclusively via VOD, traditional box office numbers were not part of its financial performance. The quick turnaround to streaming platforms suggests that the distribution strategy prioritized accessibility over theatrical exposure, a common approach for low-budget horror projects aiming for rapid viewer engagement rather than long-term revenue.
The release window and platform choices positioned the film primarily for casual viewing, late-night streaming, and social media-driven curiosity. While this helped it reach a moderate number of online viewers, it did not lead to meaningful critical reappraisal or cult status.
Audience Response
Audience reactions vary, though the overall sentiment skews negative. Many viewers approached the film out of curiosity due to its unusual premise and the notoriety of other public domain horror adaptations.
Negative responses dominated the online conversation. Some viewers dismissed the film as “unwatchable,” citing poor writing, lack of coherence, and uninspired kills. Comparisons to other low-budget reinterpretations of childhood icons often painted the film as part of a trend driven more by shock value than storytelling.
Positive outliers came from fans of deliberately trashy horror, who appreciated the absurdity, occasional moments of humor, and the commitment to practical effects. A small number of reviewers praised the film as “better than expected,” framing it as an entertaining disaster rather than a serious genre entry.
Moderate responses generally acknowledged the flaws while finding pockets of entertainment value. Horror Guys concluded that although the film falls far short of excellence, it demonstrates enough technical effort to avoid being completely dismissed.
CTechnical Aspects & Production
Popeye’s Revenge runs for 79 minutes and was released on February 13, 2025, through Video on Demand platforms. Six days later, it became available on Amazon Prime Video, followed by releases on Peacock and Fandango at Home. Produced on a modest budget by ITN Studios, the film was shot in the United Kingdom and follows the company’s established tradition of reimagining public domain characters within low-budget horror frameworks.
Despite the production constraints, some critics noted moments of technical competence. One viewer remarked that the film avoided the shaky handheld aesthetic common in microbudget horrors, with scenes showing clearer composition and stable framing. Still, the limited funding is evident in areas such as lighting, sound quality, and set design, which vary significantly from scene to scene.
Steven Murphy’s portrayal of Popeye received mixed reactions. Some reviewers appreciated the exaggerated physicality of the character, describing him as “a gigantic grinning beast of a man, impossible to take seriously but absolutely perfect in his role.” Others criticized the makeup and costume design, noting that certain prosthetics were poorly applied and visibly loose in a few scenes. The anchor weapon and oversized forearms were frequently highlighted as fun visual touches, even by harsher critics.
The practical gore effects are widely considered the film’s strongest asset. Kill sequences include decapitations, amputations with an anchor, spine extractions, breast implant explosions, and tractor-based deaths. These moments provide the film’s highest entertainment value, even if they do not match the extremity or creativity of more polished contemporary slashers.
Major Criticisms
Plot Incoherence
The most common complaint among viewers centers on the film’s narrative structure. The Reddit r/horror discussion highlighted major gaps in storytelling, including unclear motivations, missing backstory segments, and an abrupt shift in tone. Critics noted that the movie fails to explain how Popeye survived his apparent drowning, why he ages differently from others, or how the fog triggers his reappearance.
Character Development
Many reviewers felt the characters were thinly written and lacked distinct personalities. Several roles rely heavily on stereotypes, including the influencer archetype and the disengaged boyfriend. Dialogue is frequently described as flat or filler-like, contributing to a sense that characters exist primarily to be killed off rather than to drive the story. Even Tara, the closest the film has to a protagonist, receives minimal development.
Pacing Issues
Despite its short runtime, the film often feels slow. Viewers pointed out that the opening title card does not appear until approximately 15 minutes into the film, creating an uneven rhythm. Several scenes linger longer than necessary, while others rush through moments that could have contributed to stronger tension or emotional grounding.
Missed Opportunities
A recurring frustration among longtime Popeye fans is the film’s refusal to embrace or creatively distort the character’s iconic traits. There are no memorable one-liners, no clever twists on classic Popeye jokes, and few narrative callbacks to the character’s history. Reviewers noted that the concept had potential for dark humor or surreal creativity, but instead leans on generic slasher tropes.
Box Office & Release Strategy
Because Popeye’s Revenge was released exclusively via VOD, traditional box office numbers were not part of its financial performance. The quick turnaround to streaming platforms suggests that the distribution strategy prioritized accessibility over theatrical exposure, a common approach for low-budget horror projects aiming for rapid viewer engagement rather than long-term revenue.
The release window and platform choices positioned the film primarily for casual viewing, late-night streaming, and social media-driven curiosity. While this helped it reach a moderate number of online viewers, it did not lead to meaningful critical reappraisal or cult status.
Audience Response
Audience reactions vary, though the overall sentiment skews negative. Many viewers approached the film out of curiosity due to its unusual premise and the notoriety of other public domain horror adaptations.
Negative responses dominated the online conversation. Some viewers dismissed the film as “unwatchable,” citing poor writing, lack of coherence, and uninspired kills. Comparisons to other low-budget reinterpretations of childhood icons often painted the film as part of a trend driven more by shock value than storytelling.
Positive outliers came from fans of deliberately trashy horror, who appreciated the absurdity, occasional moments of humor, and the commitment to practical effects. A small number of reviewers praised the film as “better than expected,” framing it as an entertaining disaster rather than a serious genre entry.
Moderate responses generally acknowledged the flaws while finding pockets of entertainment value. Horror Guys concluded that although the film falls far short of excellence, it demonstrates enough technical effort to avoid being completely dismissed.
Comparison to Similar Films
While Popeye’s Revenge is a standalone production, it fits into the contemporary wave of public domain horror adaptations that reinterpret classic characters through a slasher lens. These films often prioritize shock value, practical gore, and recognizable imagery, operating with limited budgets and rapid production schedules.
- Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023) — Shares cast members and the same production studio
- Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare (2025) — Another ITN reinterpretation of a children’s property
- The Mouse Trap (2024) — A similar public domain horror adaptation
- Popeye the Slayer Man (2025) — A competing Popeye-themed horror film released the same year
These projects collectively reflect a growing trend within low-budget horror: using familiar IP to attract viewer curiosity while embracing exaggerated violence, stylized gore, and irreverent humor.
