'Flesh of the Unforgiven' Review: Indie Horror That Blends Guilt, Gore, and Gothic Surrealism
- Romey Norton
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
By Romey Norton - September 9, 2025
Joe Hollow’s Flesh of the Unforgiven is nothing if not ambitious. Written, directed, and headlined by Hollow himself, this micro-budget horror film mixes psychological unease with supernatural menace, delivering a twisted cocktail of surreal imagery and fractured relationships. Take every stereotypical horror trope and throw it into a mixing bowl, add more freaky voices and giggles and you have this film. It’s uneven, uneasy, but it might just work for you.
What is the film Flesh of the Unforgiven about?
The film centres on Jack Russo, a struggling writer hoping to mend his faltering marriage by retreating with his wife Sienna to a secluded cabin. What begins as a chance at reconciliation quickly spirals into chaos when a mysterious VHS tape arrives, filled with nightmarish visions of torture, masked figures, and cryptic messages from an ominous entity known only as the Death Dealer.
From there, the narrative blurs the line between reality and hallucination. Sienna becomes plagued by visions, Jack’s grip on his own identity loosens, and the couple’s fractured love story unravels under the weight of supernatural punishment and long-buried guilt.
Debbie Rochon is compelling as Sienna, capturing both the vulnerability of a woman trapped in a failing marriage and the resilience of someone forced to confront unimaginable horrors. Hollow himself gives an honest and raw performance. His presence is unsettling enough to keep the audience guessing where Jack’s story will land. The supporting cast are great, really committed to telling this story. Adriana Uschishiba plays a very annoying demon, not one I’d want to be bothered by, but it’s a good performance and you can tell they enjoyed playing with this character.
The VHS-inspired sequences are grimy, jarring, and intentionally uneasy, contrasting with the stillness of the cabin setting. This experimental approach may alienate viewers expecting a more traditional narrative. It’s not as dramatic as something like in The Ring, it’s more like something you’d see in Law and Order SVU.
The pacing is good but the story is hard to follow - and that’s probably intentional. But some viewers might be confused and disengage. Sometimes the dialogue feels stiff and limited in emotional depth, as the movie opts for stronger visuals and sound.
But the sound is the strongest element of the film; it’s used effectively to unsettle. I really enjoyed the sounds throughout; it's a well balanced mix, where every element enhances the story.
With bad trips, mad demons and a lot of infidelity, you wonder if this couple will be able to make it through the weekend and if they really want to. Is this about the relationship or Jack overcoming his writer's block to write the next best seller. There’s a lot to unravel, if you want to, but the ending does well to tie up some questions. In fact, the last ten minutes of the film are worth watching the whole thing for.
Is the film Flesh of the Unforgiven worth watching?
Joe Hollow’s debut as writer-director-star feels personal, messy, and uncompromising. And because of this, Flesh of the Unforgiven is not horror for everyone. Its surreal style, graphic imagery, and fractured storytelling demand patience and a taste for the experimental. But with a respectable runtime of one hour and half, this is a horror you can add to your list this fall and Halloween season. Especially for fans of independent horror that dares to challenge form and embrace discomfort, it’s a fascinating piece of work.
'Flesh of the Unforgiven' is out now on digital platforms, watch now on Prime Video
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