Out of Brooklyn Horror, Nick Kozakis’ Kick On demonstrates a real knack for what makes horror and action work so well together. In the vein of Upgrade, Monster Party, Pretty Lethal, and Ready or Not, the indie follows the filmmaker’s previous feature, Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism, one of the best exorcism films of all time, and proves his mettle as one of today’s fastest rising and most visionary directors. With a script penned by Phillip Klimek, the film explores themes of trust, broken allegiances, heroism, and what happens when you push a woman to the edge. Through tight, action-packed fight sequences, Kick On doesn’t just rule, it rules so f*cking hard that you’ll have a hard time finding a better, well, time at the movies this year.
Eden (Markella Kavenagh) and her friends Drew (Ras-Samuel), Zack (Nikita Chronis), and Lee (Kaitlyn Boyé) have the time of their lives out on the town. After a bloody fight breaks out in a club, the group switches gears and heads to a drug dealer’s home for a little pick-me-up. Ray (Nikolai Nikolaeff) doesn’t suffer any fools, but his charm and goofy nature endear him to his new audience. But there’s a catch: he’s the son of a big-time crime boss. The friends must tread carefully so as not to upset their new hook-up man. After giving up their phones into a lock box, Eden and company settle in while an associate cuts up their drugs. They down some shots, and Ray convinces them to partake in an exciting new strain of a hallucinogen.
What transpires next is a dreamy, drug-induced fight for survival. What started as an otherwise normal night of partying turns into a bloodbath, packed with setpieces and tension so thick you’d need a hunter’s knife to rip through it. Kozakis shows a real kink for exploding heads. Such ’80s classics as Deadly Friend and Scanners have nothing on Kick On, which features numerous skull-shattering moments that are wonderfully goopy and gruesome. The camera work (credit also cinematographer Shyam Ediriweera) goes balls to the wall with some of the best practical effects of 2026. If you’re even a little bit squeamish, you might want to grab a barf bag.
Klimek humanizes the group and gives Eden a tragic backstory (think: Would You Rather). The weight of the stakes could not be higher. She has everything to lose and everything to gain. Amidst the disastrous night, the personal strain causes further emotional turmoil, propelling her into a sea of bodies with a real thirst for flesh. Kozakis adeptly directs, slyly inviting the audience into the action. The camera becomes a voyeuristic character of its own, as it bobs and weaves with centripetal force so unhinged that you could very well get sick.
Ncik Kozakis’ Kick On is a perfectly raucous time at the movies. It’s meant to be seen in a packed theater; the reactions alone will be downright exhilarating. Where Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism claws its way into your brain with a devastating, bleak story, Kick On alleviates the stress with a damn fun time. It doesn’t get much better than this.
