Penny Lane is Dead – Review | Shudder (4/5)

PENNY LANE IS DEAD on Shudder is a surprise slasher gem made in the vein of 1980s Ozploitation. Perfect for anyone who appreciates the brutal style of Aussie horror slashers, which tend to have surprisingly well-conceived and character-driven plots. This is no exception, and I absolutely loved it. Read our full Penny Lane Is Dead movie review here!

PENNY LANE IS DEAD is a delicious horror addition to Shudder. The Australian slasher was so much better than I ever expected. And I expected to enjoy this plenty, but it still delivered a whole lot more. This goes for both the heroes and the villains of the story. And there are plenty of villains who all pay tribute to previous Ozploitation movies.

Not least the infamous (terrifying and amazing) Wolf Creek villain. With this latest Aussie slasher, we’re getting a female villain who just might be one of the best (as in worst) bad guys I’ve come across in quite some time. She’s amazing, and you cannot wait for her to get what’s coming for her. Will it happen? Well, this is an Australian slasher, so you can never feel too sure.

Continue reading our Penny Lane Is Dead movie review below. Find it on Shudder from August 28, 2026.

Ozploitation slasher done right!

The Australians have delivered some amazing slashers over the years. For me, Wolf Creek will always stand out, but so will Killing Ground and Dangerous Animals. Now, I can also include Penny Lane is Dead on that list, and yes, it absolutely belongs among these titles.

Penny Lane is Dead takes place on one specific day and night in 1986. It’s a scorching hot summer’s night in Australia when Penny Lane (Bailey Spalding) is celebrating getting into college. She’s with her longtime best friends Toni (Tahlee Fereday) and Amy (Alexandra Jensen). Unfortunately, Penny’s extremely jealous and dangerously troubled cousin Kat (Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn) also shows up.

As a result, there is no fun or celebration.

Kat plays an extremely cruel prank on Penny, which is not a prank at all, but just her being angry that Penny Lane is “perfect” while no one feels the same way about Kat. What begins with a spiked cupcake will end in a night of bloodshed, and very few will live long enough to see the sun rise on another day.

Also, remember that the 1986 setting means there are no cellphones, which will become a huge issue when help is needed!

Among the “guest stars” at the party, and other supporting roles, we also see a few familiar Aussies. I especially have to highlight Ben O’Toole (Boy Swallows Universe) as Angus, a very creepy man who thinks he’s just the most amazing and powerful person ever.

Yet another queer romance

If you loved Jennifer’s Body and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, then Penny Lane Is Dead should be right up your alley. More importantly for many, it will also be perfect for anyone who didn’t enjoy Camp Miasma. However, it does have a queer romance at its center, just like those two.

And yet, it’s more along the lines of the Fear Street trilogy, as the two girls are actively being hunted down from the get-go. With the exception that Penny Lane is Dead has no supernatural elements to it. None!

Based on the title alone, you should realize that this will be brutal. Not in a bury your gays kind of way, however. Oh no, this isn’t a homophobic horror movie. Not at all. Instead, it’s a horror movie with villains that couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves. In other words, everyone could be their next victim. They do not discriminate… not at all.

The brutal survival elements of Penny Lane is Dead also reminded me of Killer Body Count and What Keeps You Alive, which also happen to feature LGBTQ+ characters at the center. And if you’re “tired of always seeing gays” (despite LGBTQ+ characters still being very underrepresented), then don’t worry. It’s not really a key element in this slasher.

In fact, queer people will probably notice the (albeit obvious) romance before most straight people are told that this is a fact.

Watch Penny Lane is Dead on Shudder!

Penny Lane is Dead was written & directed by Mia’Kate Russell. This is the first feature film from the Australian director, and I am amazed and flabbergasted. In all the best ways, obviously. No taking the easy way out, or not going too hard on any characters. This is exactly what I’d expect from an Australian slasher, and yet it manages to surprise with its details and small twists.

Also, those characters manage to be multilayered and interesting. Yes, even the bad guys (male and female). Sure, you look forward to them dying in violent ways, but you’re also curious about what makes them tick. I don’t know if Mia Kate Russell has another movie in the works already, but I am (almost desperately, I realize now) hoping that it will be another genre movie.

The runtime is 1 hour and 28 minutes, which is yet another bonus, as it doesn’t drag on for too long, nor does it rush anything. We’re very close to a top rating here, but settled on four huge blood splatters out of 5. And yes, I will definitely be watching this one again. Maybe a repeat during Halloween or the last Friday the 13th of 2026 (in November). It certainly is worthy of such an iconic horror movie night!

Penny Lane is Dead will be available to stream on Shudder from August 28, 2026.

Details

Director: Mia’Kate Russell
Screenwriter: Mia’Kate Russell
Cast: Sophie Wright-Mendelsohn, Tahlee Fereday, Alexandra Jensen, Bailey Spalding, Ben O’Toole, Steve Le Marquand, and Fletcher Humphrys