By George & Josh Bate
The Peril at Pincer Point, a new horror-comedy premiering in the ‘Visions’ section of SXSW 2026, simultaneously honors a host of films that have preceded it and delivers a truly singular viewing experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
From writing/directing team Jake Kuhn and Noah Stratton-Twine, The Peril at Pincer Point follows Jim Baitte (Jack Redmayne), a layabout sound designer desperate to make it big in the film industry. After facing accusations of lacking creative vision, Jim is sent by lauded b-movie director P.W. Griffin to a remote island in order to capture a sound never heard before in cinema history. Once there, locals tell Jim of a fable about a ghostly sea captain who steals the souls of the island’s youth. Jim’s ambition, however, lets him overlook increasingly concerning warnings from the locals as he attempts to impress P.W. Griffin and finally make a name for himself.
Visually, The Peril at Pincer Point stands out immediately with its 4:3 aspect ratio and a distinct black and white (with a slight tint) color palette. These filmmaking choices, coupled with the isolated island setting, will draw comparisons to Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse, another film that toys with haunting local fables, or even David Lynch’s early work on Eraserhead. But the 21st century setting juxtaposed with a style that implies a more ancient story gives Kuhn and Stratton-Twine’s movie a distinct atmosphere and aesthetic.
The eeriness fostered by its style works perfectly in tandem with a story involving unusual locals, strange legends, missing people, and rumors of a ghostly sea captain recruiting for his spectral crew. There’s folk horror written all over Kuhn and Stratton-Twine, much to the delight of The Wicker Man fans such as ourselves.
Stripped of its dry humor and The Peril at Pincer Point would make for genuinely creepy viewing, but the filmmakers appear less interested in creating an unsettling horror movie and more interested in blending comedy with commentary on ill-advised ambition amidst the aesthetic backdrop of a horror movie. This means that those seeking a more disconcerting watch may be disappointed, while those open to an entirely novel and more comedically-tinged cinematic endeavor, filled to the brim with dry British humor, will be in for an unexpected treat. The juxtaposition of the handmade horror aesthetic, through which scale of ideas is achieved through creative means rather than sheer budget, and the mumblecore-fueled British humor makes The Peril at Pincer Point feel decidedly unlike any movie that’s come before it.
The Peril at Pincer Point finds humor primarily through the extent to which our lead character Jim becomes blinded to the array of unusual occurrences and speeches around him as a result of his unwavering ambition. Although it’s a fairly repetitive comedic beat, it endures for the duration of the film’s 83-minute runtime as one can’t help but laugh at how oblivious Jim is.
Jim’s obliviousness eventually evolves into more overt disregard for his well-being. He, and the audience, knows how this situation will pan out if he continues to pursue the elusive sound, and yet this does not deter him one bit. While this gives way to solid humor about just how awry Jim’s decision-making capacity has become, it does render the film somewhat predictable.
However, the ultimate commentary of The Peril at Pincer Point works nonetheless. Kuhn and Stratton-Twine approach this story with a heavy leaning toward the comedic, but, upon further reflection, there’s something quite unsettling about the lengths people will go to impress others, including putting their life (and afterlife) at risk.
VERDICT: 7/10
Premiering at SXSW 2026, The Peril at Pincer Point pays homage to movies like The Lighthouse and The Fog while delivering a viewing experience unlike anything you’ve seen before. Visually striking with an eerie atmosphere fostered by a black-and-white color palette and 4:3 aspect ratio juxtaposing the levity and ridiculousness of the story, filmmaking duo Noah Stratton-Twine and Jake Kuhn craft a movie that favors comedy and commentary over overt horror. While somewhat repetitive in its style of humor, the film entertains in conveying the obliviousness of a man blinded by ambition, much to the detriment of his life (and afterlife). The ultimate resolution to the story may be too predictable, but the messaging lands effectively and invites viewers to ponder the unsettling lengths with which people will go to impress others and achieve their dreams. The ‘Visions’ section of SXSW is reserved for “audacious, risk-taking artists who demonstrate innovation and creativity.” That perfectly describes The Peril at Pincer Point.