by Rosa Parra

Directed, cowritten, and produced by Eli Roth, Ice Cream Man depicts a small suburban town where children gradually descend into madness after consuming ice cream from a man with sinister and sadistic intentions. The cast includes Ari Millen, Benjamin Byron Davis, Eli Roth, Karen Cliche, Dylan Hawco, Sarah Abbott, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Charlie Zeltzer, and Charlie Storey.

The preview shown at CinemaCon earlier this year was intriguing enough to warrant giving this film a chance. The idea was compelling, as it featured the famous line, “You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream,” incorporated into the film.

Throughout watching, I experienced a level of physical disgust and nausea I’ve rarely felt, especially from the continuous gore from around minute 20 through the third act. By minute 21, the film’s impact diminishes, and the purpose of the kills becomes borderline unwatchable. The nausea intensified, making me question why I chose to pursue film criticism.

On a surface level, the film appears shallow and is a poorly executed addition to the horror genre. However, on a deeper level, it portrays children’s psychological breakdowns linked to the ice cream they consume—a nod to the chemicals and artificial ingredients in U.S. food that can alter brain chemistry. Yet, the screenplay lacks the depth and intelligence to make this theory resonate.

The third act attempts to justify the Ice Cream Man’s motives, but the ending leaves much to be desired. A surprising twist did catch me off guard, but it primarily left me confused.

Overall, Ice Cream Man is like empty calories, much like the ice cream it features. It’s excessively gory without any meaningful story behind it. The kills lose their impact after a few, becoming unnecessarily gruesome. The final act tries to explain the motives but fails, making this one of the worst films of 2026.

Rating: 1/10