“Let Them Come” follows Isabel and her father, who must fight for survival after being branded as traitors by their former doomsday cult and thrust into a nationwide manhunt.
Co-writer and director Tommy Jackson has made it clear that he can deliver carnage to the screen. His other 2026 release, “Land of Wolves,” is full of graphic imagery in military-style violence. In “Let Them Come,” the aesthetic is different, but the quality behind it is not. Using different weaponry, it’s able to achieve a variety of realistic outcomes like gunshot wounds, slashed-out guts and more. The camerawork aids in this as well, with the handheld footage adding to the intensity and immersiveness of these scenes. The imagery is deeply saturated. Jackson employs rich lighting and high contrast, making the world look almost abstract. It takes some time to get adjusted to this color grading, but these factors accumulate into the distinct visual identity that it has.
Music is woven into the fabric of the film. Long durations of songs overlay scenes, with other sequences (like flashbacks) being edited to the beat of additional compositions.
Outside of the action, “Let Them Come” has an emotional core. It’s not the first “cult escape” movie of 2026, sharing similar themes with Rob Hollocks’ “The Observance.” The film is ultimately about family, tackling the psychological toll that this cult has taken on the lead characters. While brutality is the focus, these feelings still remain within the narrative.
Isabel Fugatt (Izzy) and Ian Griffin (Father) star in “Let Them Come.” Fugatt plays a layered character, one who is largely soft-spoken but snaps at a moment’s notice. Her varying delivery effectively conveys the persona of a fractured individual. Griffin delivers emotion through his words, helping to maintain the heartfelt center of the relationship. When bouncing off each other, Fugatt and Griffin create a believable father-daughter connection.
Bianca Shaw (Elise) also has a memorable bout, being the most unpredictable of the entire cast. Her delivery constantly shifts from bitterness to sassiness to pure hatred, chewing up the scenery whenever she is present.
To fully buy into “Let Them Come,” you have to accept some conveniences. The second act, especially, contains very “kind souls” that push the script into its next set piece. This will likely leave viewers wondering, “Why not just call the police?” It also leads to questionable character decisions that alienate Izzy and her father from the clear moral compass that was once present. It’s in these instances that the movie loses steam. Pausing for dialogue with strangers eliminates the dire stakes that were present a moment before. Luckily, however, the intensity does quickly return.
The film’s ending is both personal and grand. With family as the focal point, the finale consists of small conversations mixed with one-on-one combat. At the same time, there’s also large-scale, “Ballerina”-inspired choreography to get there. This gives “Let Them Come” a diverse action portfolio, providing the audience with several different styles to engage with. It also features twists that are… weird — but also surprising. These unexpected reveals provide it with the unsettling edge that was initially absent. After all, this movie is about a cult.
“Let Them Come” is an intimate story of survival and revenge. It may feature broken individuals, but the raw violence is anything but.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
