Ice Cream Man – Movie Review (2/5)

ICE CREAM MAN is a horror movie I was initially excited about, but just 10 minutes into this Eli Roth movie, I was not happy. It all feels too stiff, the editing is sloppy, and the plot is virtually non-existent. Yeah, I’m disappointed. Read our full Ice Cream Man movie review here!

ICE CREAM MAN is a horror movie from Eli Roth, which is the only reason it’s being released in movie theaters. This is not a good horror movie. Or rather, it’s not a good movie. Period. Full stop. His name will undoubtedly sell tickets. And yes, others will also steer clear of it due to his involvement.

Just 10 minutes into this one, I was wondering if this was just a strange stylistic opening to a horror movie. The acting was stiff, and the editing was awful, with multiple camera angles and bad continuity. Worst of all, though, was probably the plot, which was only enough for a short film. But hey, that’s just my opinion.

Continue reading our Ice Cream Man movie review below. Find it in theaters from August 7, 2026.

Ari Millen is wasted in the title role

In Ice Cream Man, it’s a classic idyllic summer of the kind you always see in movies. We’re in a small town, just days away from summer break, and something very strange happens. The kids in town seem to descend into some kind of madness.

A new ice cream man serves the kids ice cream, and suddenly, they are like zombies. The kind that attack their parents and murder them in bloody ways. It’s pure gore and lots of practical effects, which I love, but the storyline and plot are so tiny that I got bored really fast.

Also, having Ari Millen (who was brilliant in Orphan Black) in the title role is a waste. He basically looks the same throughout, and this too gets boring. And yes, director Eli Roth is also in the movie as the father of two key characters.

I kept waiting for this movie to switch gears and get exciting, but it never happened.

First movie from The Horror Section

Ice Cream Man is the first release from Eli Roth’s The Horror Section. The company was launched in March 2025, and as an Executive Producer for The Horror Section, we have the GRAMMY® award-winning rap icon Nas via his Mass Appeal outfit.

Why? Well, because “the two entities will collaborate across many aspects of the business, including Roth and Nas co-developing film and television projects – alongside Mass Appeal CEO Peter Bittenbender”.

Not really a very good explanation in my book, apart from having a built-in audience via the fanbase of both Eli Roth and Nas. If this is the level of their horror movie quality, then I will choose a low-budget (or so-called “no budget”) movie over a movie from The Horror Section. Every. Single. Time.

As explained by The Horror Section, the plan is that this company “super-serves fans by owning and controlling a premium intellectual property library of horror films, television series, games, and podcasts, in addition to curating horror-centric experiences”.

Again, I am not feeling this with Ice Cream Man.

Watch Ice Cream Man in theaters – or just wait for the VOD

Ice Cream Man is directed by Eli Roth, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Belson. In the past, Eli Roth has been a creator of such popular and awesome horror franchises as Cabin Fever and Hostel. More recently, he also directed Thanksgiving. With Ice Cream Man, he gets virtually nothing right for me.

Up next from Eli Roth’s The Horror Section is Don’t Go In That House, Bitch! – which will have Snoop Dogg as a producer with Death Row Pictures, as well as to star. Yeah, I will keep my hopes and expectations way down. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. It would shock me, but I love genre-blends, so I’m ready to be shocked.

Personally, I’ve just enjoyed at least ten much better genre movies at Fantasia 2026. Those movies will probably never get a wider release, and definitely not get as much attention as this movie. While I have absolutely enjoyed some of his previous movies, this one was a real letdown.

In short, watch the 2017 horror movie The Ice Cream Truck instead. You will be rewarded with a much better story and movie. Or, you could check out Hive on Tubi. It’s just as good (or not, as is the case) but free.

Eli Roth’s ICE CREAM MAN is in theaters nationwide on August 7, 2026.

Details

Director: Eli Roth
Writers: Eli Roth, Noah Belson
Cast: Ari Millen, Benjamin Byron Davis, Eli Roth, Karen Cliche, Dylan Hawco, Sarah Abbott, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Charlie Zeltzer, Charlie Storey