The cabin in the woods has a fireplace, a rustic charm, and, according to the real estate listing, a “rich history.” For the unfortunate family in Steve Lawson’s new horror outing, The Priest: Thanksgiving Massacre, that rich history is literal. Blood-soaked, cannibalistic, and very much undead. Released on August 8, 2025, and now streaming on OTT Stories, the film clocks in at a lean 83 minutes, which is just enough time to carve up a turkey and a few tourists.
The premise is deliciously simple: Tom (Jo Krayer) and Cyndy (Liz Soutar) gather their brood for a cozy Thanksgiving getaway at an isolated cabin. The wine is poured, the stuffing is prepped, and the family drama is simmering. But the site, as the title so unsubtly hints, was once the scene of a horrific massacre. The Reverend Fuller (Mark Topping) and his wife Abigail (Melody Smith) didn’t just serve communion here; they served the congregants. And, as is the way with these things, the Priest responsible did not rest in peace. Now, the family is on the menu for a very different Thanksgiving dinner.
The film leans into its B-movie DNA with a sincerity that is almost endearing. It knows exactly what it is: a low-budget, high-concept shocker designed for a late-night scare. The runtime is a blessing, as the film wastes no time getting to the gore. We get the requisite creepy establishing shots, the obligatory "is that a weird noise?" moment, and then the blood hits the walls with the efficiency of a pressure cooker. It doesn't have the patience for slow-burn psychological dread; it prefers the immediate, messy release of a shotgun blast to the chest cavity.
What elevates the material beyond the typical body count is the performance of Mark Topping as the malevolent Reverend Fuller. He chews the scenery with a ravenous glee that suggests he’s not just acting but genuinely hoping for seconds. His wife, played by the wonderfully named Melody Smith, is a spectral presence of passive-aggressive menace. Together, they form a terrifyingly polite couple, the kind who would ask you to pass the cranberry sauce before they try to pass you through a meat grinder. The younger cast members - Holly Higbee’s Andi, Brooklyn Ross’s Noah, and Dani Thompson’s Sara - fill the roles of the terrified and the doomed, performing the crucial horror choreography of tripping at the worst possible moments and dropping the keys just as the killer appears.
Director Steve Lawson is no stranger to the genre, and he directs with a workmanlike urgency that serves the material well. There are no auteur pretensions here, just a steady hand ensuring that the scares land and the tension doesn’t sag. The isolated cabin setting is used effectively, creating a claustrophobic arena where every window is a potential entry point for a spectral killer. The practical effects, a staple of the genre that has been somewhat lost in the CGI age, are a welcome sight, offering a tactile, squishy horror that digital effects often fail to replicate.
However, it would be disingenuous to ignore the film’s flaws. With a TMDb rating of 3.544/10, it’s clear that this isn't a masterpiece destined for the National Film Registry. The dialogue can be clunky, and the character decisions are often baffling in the way that only horror movie characters can be. Why would you go to the basement alone? Because the script requires it. Why would you investigate that noise in the attic? Because the priest needs a snack. The plot is a predictable treadmill of jump scares and narrow escapes, and the ending, while aiming for a final twist, feels more like a shrug than a punch.
Yet, there is an undeniable charm in its trashy earnestness. In a cinematic landscape dominated by bloated, self-important horror epics, The Priest: Thanksgiving Massacre is a takeout bucket of fried chicken wings - greasy, quick, and satisfying for the time you spend eating it. It’s the kind of film you put on with friends, a few beers in, ready to laugh at the blood splatter and cheer when the killer returns for the kill. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it reminds us that sometimes you just want a good old-fashioned, no-nonsense, eat-the-rich (literally) massacre.
For those looking for a primer or a palate cleanser for the upcoming holiday season, The Priest: Thanksgiving Massacre is a guilt-free, gore-soaked indulgence. It understands that the real horror of Thanksgiving isn’t the awkward political arguments with your uncle - it’s being the main course. On OTT Stories, it finds its perfect home: a streaming service where B-movies go to be loved, warts and all. It may not be a five-star meal, but it’s a hell of a lot more fun than leftovers.
