Ice Cream Man (dir. Eli Roth)

By: Dave Hughes 

Eli Roth has carved out a unique corner in the horror genre as the ultimate acquired taste. Those who love his work appreciate his gross-out sensibilities and the loosely spun mythology behind his brand of terror. Conversely, those who dislike his style often view it as a cheap ploy to shock audiences. Regardless of where viewers stand, Roth has delivered indisputably memorable genre staples, including Cabin Fever, Hostel, and Thanksgiving. Now, Roth returns with Ice Cream Man, a twisted nightmare in which an evil vendor distributes ice cream that transforms local children into murderous killers. It is classic Roth in every sense, fully embracing its dark, unhinged premise to test both the audience's stomachs and their tolerance for depravity.

As with much of Roth’s previous work, a central part of Ice Cream Man’s appeal is its underlying mythology. There is an immediate sense of intrigue as audiences wonder how this sinister figure became so utterly depraved. One of Roth’s greatest strengths as a filmmaker is leaning into strong, dark lore, and here, the backstory is deeply embedded in the plot. Unfortunately, the mythology isn't strong enough for audiences to fully invest in. While the premise of an evil vendor offering children ice cream that turns them into killers yields a few clever surprises, the resolution ultimately falls flat, leaving the underlying lore feeling paper-thin. Ultimately, it feels as though Roth is holding back details to set up a future franchise, leaving this first installment without enough substance to stand on its own.

Unsurprisingly, the film's strongest element is the gross-out horror that Roth has always excelled at delivering. For fans of his signature shock cinema, there is plenty of stomach-churning gore executed in genuinely memorable ways. Roth continues to push boundaries here, clearly taking notes from Damien Leone’s Terrifier franchise by pushing graphic extremity to its absolute limit. There is one particularly standout sequence roughly near the film’s midpoint, where the town's idyllic, picture-perfect nature is systematically obliterated by the demonic ice cream vendor. It is a delightfully nightmarish juxtaposition that Roth's core audience will thoroughly appreciate. The film carries this throughout the film through bright colors and even at its darkest themes, this is a very bright and vibrant movie. 

Perhaps the biggest issue with Ice Cream Man is just how far it pushes the audience's patience for dark, oppressive themes and extreme violence. Make no mistake: this film is explicitly engineered to test the viewer's tolerance for both graphic gore and uncomfortable subject matter. While its stomach-turning practical effects succeed on a level of pure schlock entertainment, the extreme lengths to which Roth pushes the boundary can easily alienate viewers, making for an unnecessarily unpleasant film-going experience.

Target Score 3/10:  Roth has shown an ability to create memorable villains and grotesque scenes, however Ice Cream Man does not necessarily land as his most memorable or his most unique. Through challenging gross-out scenes and a weak mythos, Ice Cream Man does not land with audiences like Roth’s previous works have.