Horror auteur's latest is mostly a 'Keeper'

Osgood Perkins keeps us guessing but gives no depth to this cabin in the woods tale.

- TIM GRIERSON

LIZ (Tatiana Maslany) is soon left to her own devices after a romantic getaway with Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland) goes inevitably awry.

(Neon)

A cabin in the woods. A handsome boyfriend who seems a little too perfect. A stranger at the door.

Osgood Perkins' latest horror film isn't just rife with clichés it warmly welcomes them in like old friends, inviting the audience to savor tropes we've seen plenty of times before. But when they're recycled with the enthusiasm and skill that Perkins brings to "Keeper," they can still feel fresh. At least for a little while.

Perkins' third release in the last 16 months shares similarities with both his 2024 standout "Longlegs" and his disappointing adaptation of Stephen King's "The Monkey" that extend beyond their shared genre. "Keeper" recalls "Longlegs'" cunning precision and embrace of classic horror traditions while sporting the impish humor that defined (and diminished) "The Monkey." And yet, this intimate chamber piece is its own confident flex, further proof that Perkins is a superb conjurer of old-fashioned dread, even if there's little that's memorable underneath.