Title: Platypus
First Non-Festival Release: TBD
Director: Joshua Gratton
Writer: Joshua Gratton
Runtime: 85 Minutes
Starring: Kayla Lundstram, Giselle Morison, Micah Greentree
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2026.
Kimberly (Kayla Lundstram) is positive that a masked killer is terrorizing her town, but no one seems to believe her. Haunted by terrifying dreams that promise of a violent rampage carried out by a killer donning a platypus mask, Kimberly does her best to navigate her cruel circumstances alone. As the killer slices through various residents of the town, he creeps closer to Kimberly and her circle of friends. When she finally faces off against her masked pursuer, will Kimberly rise to the occasion or similarly fall to his murderous schemes?
Platypus is a flat and boring slasher that prioritizes style over substance.
Writer/director Joshua Gratton knows that Platypus will not be for everyone. Reminiscent of the murderdrone movement from the 1970s and 1980s, Platypus embraces the dreamlike structure of the genre. Leaning into the surreal nature of movement, Platypus, like most muderdrone films, reads to most modern audience members as poorly executed rather than intentionally crafted. Aesthetically, Platypus leans into the vibes only accessible through this style of filmmaking. Its flat dialogue leads to some hilarious scenes, the hazy cinematography gives the film an imaginative quality to it, and its period setting is given sufficient attention in set design and costuming. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to Platypus beyond its look.
The very things that give Platypus its unique edge make it insufferable to sit through as a film. Its loose story and static camerawork suck all the air out of the film’s sails. With each bizarre nightmare sequence of murders passing, the film rarely goes anywhere interesting. It’s a very stream of consciousness type of film. Gliding from one unexciting murder to the next, Platypus adds little flair or intensity to its horror. In the metaphorical sense, the characters act as if they are in a dream state too. The ways in which they move about their strange, stilted world adds to the stylistic approach Platypus takes while making for more comical moments rather scary ones.
It’s this goofy approach to horror that really makes Platypus a tough watch. Interminable, despite its relatively short 85-minute runtime, Platypus languishes in its glacially paced slasher mystery. Because there isn’t much meat to the story or characters, the film gives audience members nothing to hold onto. The central mystery focuses on the masked killer but doesn’t give him any dimension until one hilarious revelation saved for the finale. Kimberly wanders through her small-town life without much intentionality or depth afforded to her, which makes the mystery weigh even heavier. Platypus is unconcerned with this, instead focusing on building that flowing narrative structure that gives it that dreamy quality.
The entire cast is on the same page as the ridiculousness. Kayla Lundstram knows this more than anyone. By virtue of being the film’s lead, Lundstram is often required to do the heavy lifting of bringing the film’s campier elements to life. Exaggerated responses and stilted vocal performances perfectly match Platypus’s intended vibes. While it wouldn’t be viewed as a good performance in most other films, Lundstram and co make choices that align with the film’s esoteric style. Powering through the awkward nature of the film’s pacing, the performances complement the rough-around-the-edges sensibilities and add a bit of levity to the otherwise dull slasher.
It isn’t for everyone, but Platypus manages to charm despite its niche sub-genre. An aesthetically intriguing film above all, the microbudget slasher soothes its audience to sleep via its somnambulistic trek through murder. Tough to win over the audiences it confuses or irritates, the audience that Platypus will develop is sure to embrace its style. For discerning horror fans who understand their taste above all else, Platypus will be the perfect litmus test to decide where one’s boundaries exist in the genre. Delight in its whimsy or balk at its faults, Platypus is guaranteed to divide audiences.
Overall Score? 4/10
