It’s fitting, isn’t it, that Osgood Perkins, son of the late bisexual actor Anthony Perkins, should make a name for himself in the realm of cinematic horror.

After all, his father starred in four “Psycho” movies, including the original, which essentially launched the modern horror genre. The year 2025 was overflowing with exceptional horror movies, including Osgood Perkins’ own “The Monkey,” Zach Cregger’s “Weapons,” Danny and Michael Philipou’s “Bring Her Back,” Michael Shanks’ “Together,” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence.” 

Perkins’ second feature of the year, “Keeper” (Neon), written by Nick Lepard (“Dangerous Animals”), was a late entry. After opening with a montage of women, from various time periods, expressing different emotions, we cut to a car driving through a wooded road. “City rat” and visual artist Liz (Tatiana Maslany, who deserves better) and her doctor boyfriend Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland, son of Donald), are heading to his family’s cabin in the woods for a special weekend. The words “cabin in the woods” should always be followed by “never a good idea.”

Once there, things rapidly begin going downhill. The arrival of Malcolm’s “asshole” cousin Darren (Birkett Turton) and Eastern European model date Minka (Eden Weiss) is just the first in a series of disruptions. There’s also the mysterious chocolate cake left by the caretaker, which, despite being warned by Minka, Liz devours late at night. There are also strange sounds and voices coming through the vents. Liz not only begins to have bizarre dreams post-cake intake, but she can’t stop drawing the faces of women in the earlier montage.

Things really get crazy when Malcolm heads back to the city to check on a patient, and Liz stays behind. Her dreams become waking hallucinations. A visit from a cleaver-wielding Darren also doesn’t help matters. Liz packs her things and asks Malcolm to take her back to the city. But, of course, he can’t because she’s part of a ritual sacrifice that’s been going on for more than 200 years, resulting in eternal life for Malcolm and Darren.

Just when you think that it’s curtains for Liz, “Keeper” takes an unexpected turn that keeps it from being a total disaster (even at only 98 minutes). It turns out, Liz bears a striking resemblance to the woman who cursed the cousins. When confronted by the creatures (her “children and all the women who came before”) that the cousins keep fed, something surprising occurs. You’ll have to see “Keeper” for yourself if you want to know what that is. 

Rating C-