Fantastic Fest 2026
At this year’s Fantastic Fest, I had the absolute treat of screening a wickedly entertaining period horror feature titled Victorian Psycho. I occasionally love watching a good British period drama, but I especially love when filmmakers put a horror spin on the subgenre (e.g., Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). Director Zachary Wigon and writer Virginia Feito deliver a highly amusing, blood-soaked film that subverts period-drama conventions. Actress Maika Monroe owns the screen as the titular protagonist/antagonist.
Monroe stars as Winifred Notty, the newly hired governess of the Ensor House. As governess, Notty is responsible for the children of Mr. and Mrs. Pounds (Jason Isaacs, Ruth Wilson), her employers. Though initially very well-mannered toward her bosses and the Pound children, Winifred’s behavior slowly changes, reflecting the unraveling of her mind. As this happens, people in the household begin to disappear.
I had an absolute blast with this movie. Virginia Feito’s screenwriting, based on her novel of the same name, is razor-sharp and irresistibly witty. Zachary Wigon’s direction is assured and atmospheric. The movie looks gorgeous, thanks to Nico Aguilar’s lovely cinematography, the costume designs, and the gothic production design of the sets.
Casting eloquent and commanding British actors Jason Isaacs and Ruth Wilson was an excellent choice. Both actors are outstanding as Mr. and Mrs. Pounds, the snobby, selfish, and morally bankrupt married couple who own the Ensor House and are the parents of Andrew (Jacobi Jupe) and Drusilla (Evie Templeton), the children under Winifred’s tutelage. Thomasin McKenzie is an absolute joy as the sweet, innocent Ms. Lamb, a member of the household staff. The obvious standout performance comes from Maika Monroe, an American actor who portrays Winifred Notty with gleeful, reckless abandon, ferocity, and ruthlessness.
While the movie is great overall, the main reason to watch Victorian Psycho is Maika Monroe’s tour-de-force performance. She not only nails the accent but also exercises restraint when necessary, then unleashes the beast within her character when the role demands it. The film was one of my favorites from this year’s Fantastic Fest, and now it can be enjoyed by mass audiences in movie theaters.