Bone Keeper (2026) | Film Review

There’s something undeniably satisfying about a film that knows exactly what it is – and Bone Keeper delivers as a solid, no-nonsense monster flick with just enough bite to keep horror fans well fed.

Right out the gate, things feel a little… off. The opening leans heavily into that glossy, almost AI-generated aesthetic that’s becoming more common lately, and while it doesn’t completely derail things, it does stick out as the film’s weakest moment. Thankfully, it’s short-lived and never really creeps back in to haunt the rest of the runtime.

Because once this thing gets going, it really gets going.

Let’s talk about the creature—because that’s the main event here. The Bone Keeper itself is an absolute triumph of design. Think a grotesque fusion of Stranger Things’ (The Duffer Brothers, 2016 – 2025) Mindflayer, Venom (Ruben Fleischer, 2018), the writhing and macabre body horror of Slither (James Gunn, 2006), and the paranoid, flesh-warping chaos of The Thing (John Carpenter, 1982) – and you’re somewhere in the right ballpark. It’s creative, unsettling, and worth the price of admission alone. Even when the film stumbles, the monster never does. Well… almost never.

Bone Keeper (2026) | Film Review

For the most part, the visuals hold up nicely, but there are a handful of dodgy CGI moments scattered throughout that pull you out of the experience just long enough to notice. It’s not a dealbreaker by any means, but it does stop the film from hitting that next level visually. For an indie horror though, this is sort of expected. But then I suppose it adds to the charm to some degree.

The cast, on the other hand, do a great job of grounding everything. They’re a likeable, believable bunch with an easy chemistry that makes you invest in their increasingly dire situation. The travel influencer angle is a fun, modern touch, though it feels slightly undercooked – there’s more that could’ve been done with that concept, especially when you think about the potential for creative horror set pieces. And then there’s John Rhys-Davies – who, unsurprisingly, brings a level of gravitas and presence that instantly elevates every scene he’s in. Always a welcome addition.

When it comes to the good stuff – yes, the film delivers. The kills are satisfying, the gore is nicely handled, and the effects (when they’re practical or blended well) really shine. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it absolutely understands what horror fans came for. And honestly, I’m all for it – I enjoyed the hell out of this film.

The ending? Very open. And honestly, that might be the most exciting part. Because if this is laying the groundwork for something bigger – something that leans fully into an all-out, old-school monster movie where this thing goes full havoc-mode trying to take over the world (like Them! (Gordon Douglas, 1954) for example) – then count me in. There’s real potential here for a sequel that goes bigger, nastier, and even more chaotic. Imagine what that thing would do if it made it to a major city in the UK? It’s terrifying yet intriguing, so fingers crossed we’ll see more of this extra-terrestrial monster.

To conclude, Bone Keeper is a decent monster movie with a killer creature design, solid performances, and enough gore to keep things interesting, it’s absolutely worth a watch for horror fans.

Huge thank you to Strike Media for the screener.

Bone Keeper is available digitally from April 6th, 2026.