Review: Penny Lane is Dead is a Brilliant, Unrelenting Nightmare

It’s hard to believe that Shudder’s new original film Penny Lane is Dead marks the feature debut for director and writer Mia-kate Russell. This celebration turned into a chilling nightmare hits all the right notes in a horror movie. The horror story, which is billed as an homage to 1980s Ozploitation movies, is compelling, original and deeply engrossing.

MORE: What’s Coming to Shudder in September/October 2026

Penny Lane is Dead centers three young women, Penny Lane (Bailey Spalding), Toni (Tahlee Fereday) and Amy (Alexandra Jensen), who come together to celebrate Penny Lane getting into college. When Penny Lane’s problematic cousin Kat (Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn) joins in, the night takes a turn. Kat’s deep-seated jealousy for her cousin leads to unexpected guests who have no intention of leaving until they get what they want.

The story takes place over the course of one night and while it’s not filmed in real time, the timeline feels very realistic. The party begins with fun and games (and Kat’s spiked cupcakes). Kat’s new beau Angus (Ben O’Toole) arrives with his friends and Kat desire to be the center of attention leads to catastrophe.

Fereday and Jensen do an outstanding job balancing Toni and Amy’s fear with their fight to survive the night. O’Toole’s Angus is a charmer whose lack of impulse control makes him a terrifying villain, but even he’s no match for Kat. Wright-Mendelsohn plays Kat with reckless abandon and it’s really fun to watch. Kat’s inferiority complex and desire to fit in at all costs makes her the biggest threat of all, even to Angus and his crew.

Russell’s script is full of blood and trauma and gore, but it also has a fair amount of humor in it. With so much trauma, the humor is a welcome addition that helps the audience through some of the movie’s darker moments.

There’s also an element of empowerment to the horror movie. Despite the horrifying circumstances they find themselves in, these women aren’t about to give up without a fight. Russell’s protagonists are easy to root for, partly because you want them to find a way out of this terrible situation and also because Kat and Angus are well-written baddies who don’t deserve to win.

As we head into spooky season, Penny Lane is Dead is the perfect choice when you’re looking for a modern spin on a classic blood-soaked horror film. It has a brilliant cast, a well-plotted story and all of the gory details that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Penny Lane is Dead is available to stream on Shudder.