Listen, I love a good misleading marketing campaign as much as the next gorehound, but we need to talk about the bait-and-switch surrounding The Mannequin. If you’ve been scrolling through the horror news feeds today, you might have seen some buzz linking this project to Sean Byrne, the mad genius behind The Loved Ones. That sounds like a dream come true, right? Well, wake up, because that early report was dead wrong. This isn't the Byrne movie we were promised. Instead, we got a new flick from writer-director John Berardo, the guy behind Init!ation, and it hit shelves back on August 24, 2025. It’s time to look past the hype and see if this thing actually sticks the landing or if it’s just another generic haunt in a historic building.
THE GHOST OF FALSE ADVERTISING
Let’s address the elephant in the room. The early buzz had us thinking we were getting a violent serial killer thriller from an Australian master of mayhem. What we actually have is a supernatural mystery from Shatterproof Films that feels like it’s trying to be every movie released in the last five years. The premise follows Liana Rojas, played by Isabella Gómez, who you might know from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. She’s playing a stylist assistant investigating her sister’s death in a historic LA building. It’s a classic setup, but without the distinct voice we thought we were getting, the formula feels a little stale.
FINAL GIRL FATIGUE
Look, I’m not saying the "stylist assistant investigates" trope can’t work, but it’s getting tired. We’ve seen this dynamic a thousand times. You’ve got Gabriella Rivera playing the doomed sister, Sophia Rojas, and Lindsay LaVanchy as Hazel Miller, essentially serving as fodder for the vengeful spirit haunting the halls. Berardo even brought back Shireen Lai and Maxwell Hamilton from Init!ation to fill out the cast as Nadine Yang and Peter Adler. It’s great to see a director working with a recurring troupe, but I wish they were given more to do than run through dark corridors while a ghost with a grudge dismembers people. The tagline says "She likes to watch," but honestly, I found it hard to keep my eyes open during the setup.
DISPOSABLE HORROR AT 85 MINUTES
With a runtime of just 85 minutes, this movie is in and out before you can even digest your popcorn. There’s a certain charm to a tight, lean thriller, but The Mannequin feels rushed. It’s currently sitting at a 5.4/10 on TMDB, and honestly? That feels generous for a movie that leans so heavily on its red band trailer to sell the violence. The clips titled "Nadine Possessed" and "Heads Will Roll" promise gore that the movie itself struggles to deliver effectively. It’s the worst kind of disposable horror content — sloppy, rushed, and entirely dependent on marketing tricks rather than genuine scares. If you’re looking for the next great slasher, keep looking. This one is a rental at best.
