Keeper Review: The Finale Stumbles A Bit But Still Wholly Unique

PLOT: A romantic anniversary trip to a secluded cabin turns sinister when a dark presence reveals itself, forcing a couple to confront the property’s haunting past.

REVIEW: Osgood Perkins has quickly become one of my favorite names in horror. He has such a unique voice and vision that he stands out so much these days. And with his rapid output, it’s a good time to be a fan of the writer/director. While he’s proven himself to be quite polarizing, that’s just because he goes so against the grain of what we usually see. And it’s so damn refreshing. Keeper follows suit, giving us a look at a couple going away to a cabin for the weekend, and the strange happenings that occur there. But it ends up subverting damn near every single expectation you could possibly have for it.

There’s something off about the relationship between Liz (Maslany) and Malcolm (Sutherland) from frame one. The marketing has really not given away anything about this film, so I’ll have to be careful about how I speak about it. I would never want to spoil it, as it certainly benefits from going in knowing as little as possible. It’s a film about a struggling relationship, and both actors sell it very well. There’s a strange quality to every character interaction, and it adds to the overall uneasiness of the film.

Keeper is very much a slow burn and lets you soak in the mystery. I was never bored and always so intrigued by what was happening. There are some truly unsettling moments. But those expecting anything too horrific should probably lower those expectations. This falls more under the subtle side of things, with most of the violence happening off-screen. I was really impressed with the creepy imagery, with some of it evoking some classic Japanese Horror tropes. Several moments sent genuine shivers up my spine, and that’s hard to accomplish in this day and age.

Keeper is full of absolutely gorgeous shots, and Perkins really puts a focus on the editing. There are constant fades happening, interweaving the visuals in a way that takes advantage of the shot composition. It really helps keep things interesting while it’s still setting up what’s truly going on at the cabin. The technical side of Osgood’s filmmaking is enough to hide some of the weaknesses of the script, which doesn’t entirely come together with the finale. Even still, I liked where it ended up, and it’s really all a showcase for Maslany, who continues to be one of the best performers out there.

As with any film that takes a big swing, Keeper is going to be polarizing. While I probably wouldn’t rank it as high as Longlegs or The Monkey, it’s still an impressive display of filmmaking. Perkins maintains his uniqueness and gives us something that stands well on its own. It falters a bit with its ending, but the imagery was so great, that it still worked for me. Go into this knowing as little as possible, as it’s clearly meant to be experienced that way. It won’t work for everyone, but in this day and age of sequels and retreads, it’s great to watch something that truly feels unlike anything else.

Keeper Is Playing In Theaters on November 14th, 2025.