Kaishaku – Movie Review (3/5)

KAISHAKU is a new supernatural horror-drama made with a low budget, but clearly also a lot of talent and passion. It would have been even better with some tighter editing, but it’s still a very efficient horror movie. It stars Stefanie Estes, which in itself is more than enough to get me to watch. And you definitely should too. Read our full Kaishaku movie review here!

KAISHAKU is a new supernatural horror movie that has a lot going for it. From the mystery of the supernatural element to the very realistic horror-drama of trauma. This is an indie (which means low-budget) production, but the production quality is very impressive. In fact, it very nearly landed on a 4 out of 5 rating, but the pacing is a little too slow, which took away from the strong intensity.

It’s a strong 3½ (and fresh in terms of Rotten Tomatoes), which means it’s a very clear recommendation to watch it. I’m always a fan of movies that are made with passion and talent rather than a huge budget, and that perfectly describes the origin of this one. Plus, despite being a supernatural story, it deals with some very realistic and relatable issues.

Continue reading our Kaishaku movie review below. The movie is getting its East Coast premiere at Dances With Films NY.

Charity, integrity, and desperation

With Kaishaku, we meet a struggling mother, Iris (Stefanie Estes), who is in the middle of a dire financial desperation. Things seem to go from bad to worse, and on top of everything, her young son is also having behavioral issues. Nothing too wild, so this isn’t an Omen-style story or anything, but it is yet another stress factor in her life.

That’s why she’s the perfect person to ask a huge favor of. The kind of favor that is both a sort of charity towards the person asking and will challenge Iris’s integrity. Her friend, Bridgette (Alyshia Ochse) – well, sort of friend and someone she has known since High School – wants to end her own life.

The only thing stopping her is the fear of her attempt going awry and ending up as a vegetable.

So, Bridgette asks Iris to be her “spotter” during her suicide – both as a favor and with a huge monetary compensation. At first, Iris rejects the “offer” flat-out. However, she reluctantly agrees… and the result is a waking nightmare of sorts, where she’s full of guilt and very possibly haunted by something supernatural.

Indie genre star: Stefanie Estes

When we heard of Kaishuka, we knew we wanted to screen this horror movie as soon as we saw the name Stefanie Estes. Over the past couple of years (or decade, almost), we’ve come to learn that Stefanie Estes does not make bad movies. They may not all be amazing, but she definitely will be. As such, we always know that they will be worth watching.

Side note: When I say “we”, it’s because I watch all productions with my editor, so while I get final say, we usually discuss what to review (and when) as a team. 

Anyway, if you’re still not familiar with Stefanie Estes, you have a lot of gorgeous genre movies to look forward to. From the amazing Frankie, Maniac Movie (one of my favorites of 2025) to the incredibly sinister Soft and Quiet (2022). Also, she was in Bethany (2017), the dystopian sci-fi anthology series Tales from the Loop (2020), and the dark comedy thriller series The Consultant (2023).

While everyone in Kaishaku delivers a strong performance, Stefanie Estes continues to stand out. And, as the star of this particular horror mystery, she should. Also, I want to highlight Alyshia Ochse, who brings a lot of the darker moments to the story. And very efficiently so!

Kaishaku is screening at Dances With Films

Kaishaku comes from director Harry Locke IV and screenwriter Mike Gerbino. I’m already familiar with the work of Mike Gerbino from the 2024 movie Freelance, which I highly recommend. That one was based on a short film of the same title, which Mike Gerbino both wrote and directed. As far as I can tell, Mike Gerbino “only” directs short films, but he can certainly write a screenplay for a feature.

This isn’t the first feature film as a director for Harry Locke IV, but he has done more short films than feature films. Also, his work as a colorist on more than 80 productions explains why Kaishaku looks so gorgeous. Also, he has worked with both Stefanie Estes and Robbie Allen (who plays Iris’s husband in this movie) on earlier projects.

Originally, Kaishaku was also known under the title of “The Spotter”, which certainly makes sense, but so does this new title. In fact, one could argue (and I do) that this title makes a lot more sense when you watch the movie. Also, it is a lot less generic than The Spotter, so I’m glad they went with Kaishaku instead.

WHAT DOES KAISHAKU MEAN?

Kaishaku refers to the role of the second person in a Japanese seppuku (ritual suicide) ceremony, whose duty is to provide a merciful decapitation to end the agony of the person committing the act, thus preventing a prolonged, painful death.

If you’re looking for a horror movie that doesn’t do what you expect, then Kaishaku is a strong choice. Especially as it doesn’t rely on many of the traditional effects, but often goes in a slightly different (and more unnerving) direction.

KAISHAKU is screening at film festivals (we watched it as part of our Dances With Films coverage), but we’ll update this review with release information when we have it.

Details

Director: Harry Locke IV
Writer: Mike Gerbino
Stars: Stefanie Estes, Alyshia Ochse, Robbie Allen, Rob Kirkland