Kruel – A Clunky Little Scream

So I watched Kruel the other night… kinda by accident actually. Had a cold, couldn’t sleep, and it popped up in my queue like a drunk friend at 3 AM. It’s supposed to be horror, right? It sorta is. Kinda thriller, kinda Lifetime movie with a creepy clown van.

Directed by Robert Henderson – not exactly a household name – and starring Kierney Nelson who, to be honest, kinda looks like a young cousin who’d freak out at midsummer when the snaps hits. The villain, Kruel himself, played by J.T. Chinn, is… well. How do I put this. Imagine if Pennywise ran out of makeup and motivation.

What I did like though, no joke, was the low-budget charm. It reminded me of when I was a teenager and we borrowed my gran’s old Super VHS camera in Östersund. We made a slasher film in the basement using ketchup and Halloween masks from ICA Maxi. Same vibe. Lovable in its messiness.

But come on – the script. It’s like someone had three plot points and stretched them like old knäckebröd till they cracked. Dialogue’s stiff, like, “No, mother, I will not let that man take me!” and you’re just sitting there with your coffee going, jaha… okay?

There’s this one chase scene where I swear they just filmed someone jogging aimlessly for like ten minutes. My cat actually fell asleep on the remote.

Still, there’s something endearing here. Like watching a school play where someone really tries to act terrified but accidentally knocks over a lamp. It’s entertaining – just not always on purpose.

If you’re into campy horror or nostalgic throwbacks to late 90s direct-to-video feels, maybe this one hits some weird spot. But go into it with low expectations, or maybe a few beers. Or both. Safe bet.

watch the full movie on CinemaOneMovies on YouTube

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