The Cycle

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The Cycle

2026

1h 51m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

When the body of a man missing for thirty-six years is discovered at the scene of a horrific crime, it's up to his estranged daughter to unravel his dark past.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

Oct 22, 2026

3/4

“The Cycle” loads up on gore and some grossout scenes (those maggots gave me the heebie-jeebies) and keeps us on edge throughout, and then throws everything his limited budget can for a bloody, satisfying finale.

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Leslie Felperin

Guardian

Oct 20, 2026

2/5

It’s a shame that the hardcore creature-feature stuff is a letdown because the drama leading up to it isn’t bad.

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Katie Rife

Inverse

Oct 5, 2026

Based on his resume, you might not expect Jordan Downey to make a movie as deathly serious as The Cycle. But he’s done exactly that, and quite successfully so, with this grim and gruesome blend of serial-killer thriller and supernatural horror.

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Joseph Robinson

Fish Jelly Films (YouTube)

4 days ago

3.5/5

Gruesome and intriguing, The Cycle blends taut suspense with highly effective creature horror. Impressive practical effects and meticulous craftsmanship breathe new life into a familiar trope.

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Chris Sawin

Video Librarian Magazine

5 days ago

4.5/5

What The Cycle is hiding is hidden so well, but it is brought to light with spectacular special effects and impressive gore that transforms the film into something truly nasty, unsettling, and memorable.

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Abbie Bernstein

Assignment X

Oct 28, 2026

B

The Cycle is just different enough to feel relatively fresh, and it delivers on both the procedural and horror fronts.

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Rosemary S

@RT84838862 22 hrs ago

This was a genre mash that doesn't quite pull off either of the two.

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Winston R

@RT67665440 1 day ago

We need more horror movies like the cycle. People have gotten too used to CGI and can no longer appreciate practical effects. This is an excellent creature feature!

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Simile T

@Joella5 1 day ago

Felt like it all went downhill after the reveal. There are several plot holes that were never addressed as well.

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Kashgar A

@AllFunAndGames 1 day ago

Masterful storytelling, swinging from what appears to be a crime story to proper horror. I went in without knowing anything about the plot, and it’s a credit to the writing and direction that you don’t really say the word yourself until the story reveals it to be true, meaning that you discover what’s going on at exactly the same time as the characters do. What the director could’ve done with a bigger budget I can only imagine.

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Alyce H

@iwtvland 1 day ago

The scriptwriting is trite, the pacing is abysmal, and the execution when it comes to the creature was a tad too cheesy for a movie that is clearly taking itself way too seriously. It is hard to trust the internet for recommendations nowadays.

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Best F

@gigglekit40 1 day ago

I'm all in support of practical effects but that was just goofy

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Jordan Downey

Director

Deborah Ann Woll

Actor

Jeffrey Donovan

Actor

Will Hochman

Actor

Jack Doolan

Actor

Carl W. Crudup

Actor

Deborah Ann Woll Previews The Cycle

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Synopsis

When the body of a man missing for thirty-six years is discovered at the scene of a horrific crime, it's up to his estranged daughter to unravel his dark past.

Director: Jordan Downey
Screenwriter: Jordan Downey, Kevin Stewart
Distributor: Shudder
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 23, 2026
Runtime: 1h 51m

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