THE SURRENDER on Shudder is a new Ritual Horror movie that could also be described as a dark horror drama. Extremely intense, relatable, and heartbreaking. Read our full The Surrender movie review here!
THE SURRENDER is a new Shudder horror movie. It’s a ritual horror story about trying to bring someone back from the dead. And yes, anyone who has watched (or read) Pet Sematary will probably find themselves saying, “Have they never heard of Pet Sematary?!”
However, and this is important, the story is so well-told and relatable in realistic ways (yes, despite its supernatural element) that it works. You find yourself trying to understand where each character is coming from. The runtime of just around an hour and a half is just right!
Continue reading our The Surrender movie review below. Find it on Shudder from May 23, 2025.
A resurrection spirals out of control
With The Surrender, we meet two women dealing with illness and death in very different ways. In fact, one is preparing for the death of the family patriarch by getting ready for a ritual.
The kind of ritual that’s meant to result in the resurrection of the deceased.
We follow the grieving mother-daughter duo as their relationship is put to a very unexpected test. The mother (Kate Burton) has hired a mysterious stranger who knows how to bring her husband back from the dead.
Of course, the ritual this requires is exactly as bizarre and brutal as you might imagine. You must sacrifice and surrender (hence the title) a lot for it to work.
Kate Burton and Colby Minifie shine
As the mother, Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy) is extremely relatable as the parent who has always been seen as the tough one. Whether this is actually the case, however, is the question. Clearly, the daughter has experienced her father as he wanted her to.
Likewise, as the daughter, Colby Minifie (The Boys) delivers a heartbreaking portrayal of a woman trying to relate to her mom, but being pushed away. So much history, that isn’t necessarily built on facts, gets in the way of them interacting freely.
Seeing Kate Burtun and Colby Minifie battle and working together as the story moves all around the subject of loss, sorrow, acceptance, anger, and everything in between is a real treat. I expect many will be able to relate to at least one of them. Possibly even all.
Overall, The Surrender is about giving in rather than giving up. But are we foolish to believe we can cheat death?! Again, if you’ve watched Pet Sematary or any other movie where it’s attempted to resurrect someone, then you probably already know.
Watch The Surrender on Shudder
Julia Max is the writer and director of The Surrender. If you’ve enjoyed some of the darker horror dramas that are momentarily brutal and bloody, but otherwise tear you apart with their story, then this is for you.
If you enjoyed Saint Maud, then you’ll want to watch this one.
The Surrender was even inspired by the real-life experience of her stepfather being terminally ill, passing away, and her experiencing how her mom needed to deal with it all. It also feels very personal, so I’m not too surprised by this “inspiration”.
Seriously, do watch The Surrender on Shudder because this movie managed to move me in so many ways. As someone who lost a parent more than a decade ago, and (very unexpectedly) a beloved dog just a few weeks ago, it’s easy to relate to the core story.
Wanting to bring back loved ones is nothing new, but the idea is indeed timeless.
As a horror movie fan and a human being living in reality, I also recognize that some things are indeed very final.
Julia Max is getting her feature film debut with this movie, and I know it’s one I won’t forget. I already look forward to what comes next. Maybe I also fear it, but not because I doubt that it won’t be great. I just know she can make movies that are intensely heartbreaking.
The Surrender is on Shudder from May 23, 2025.
Details
Director: Julia Max
Screenwriter: Julia Max
Cast: Colby Minifie, Kate Burton, Neil Sandilands, Vaughn Armstrong, Mia Ellis, Pete Ploszek, Chelsea Alden, Alaina Pollack, Riley Rose Critchlow, Lola Prince Kelly
Plot
When the family patriarch dies, a grieving mother and daughter risk their lives to perform a brutal resurrection ritual and bring him back from the dead.
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