Eli Roth’s new horror thriller, “Ice Cream Man,” releases in theaters nationwide on August 7, and multiple critics review it as a high-energy, violence-forward slasher-style film. The movie’s premise centers on children who become homicidal zombies after eating ice cream sold by a demonic vendor. Several reviews place the film within a broader slasher and extreme-horror tradition, with comparisons ranging from classic horror franchises and anthology-like shock sequences to earlier horror directors’ work.
Critics describe the film as deliberately over-the-top, emphasizing a relentless pace and a heavy focus on kills. Variety characterizes it as a “one-joke” splatter premise, framing it as a specific, punchy throwback rather than a polished mainstream horror experience. Deadline similarly highlights the film’s mix of familiar genre elements, describing it as combining tonal influences from revenge-and-slasher archetypes and aiming for an “unrated bloodfest.” Hollywood Reporter calls it targeted at diehard slasher fans rather than a wider audience. Forbes notes that Rotten Tomatoes critics’ reactions are sharply negative overall.
