“Ice Cream Man” follows a group of kids who must survive the summer after an ice cream man begins serving sweet delights with horrifying results in their town.
Eli Roth is a hit-or-miss director, nonetheless becoming a horror mainstay with films like “Cabin Fever” (2002), “Hostel” (2005) and “Thanksgiving” (2023). Now, with his media company, The Horror Section, he has carved out another niche in the genre with Joe Begos’ “Jimmy and Stiggs” (2025) and Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm and Alex Lee Williams’ “Dream Eater” (2025). “Ice Cream Man” marks the first movie under the label to be written and directed by Roth himself. And… it’s not “good.” But it may just fall into the “so bad that it’s good” category — almost.
Immediately, “Ice Cream Man” is reminiscent of Zach Cregger’s “Weapons.” The timing of the two films’ releases is a coincidence, however, with Roth coming up with the concept over 20 years ago. The “creepy kids” mantra is nothing new, still being akin to “Children of the Corn” (1984).
The opening 15 minutes are when the movie is at its best. Inherently, ice cream trucks are creepy. They randomly appear in neighborhoods, drive around slowly and play folk melodies. They also attract hordes of unsupervised children. The horror practically writes itself, and Roth capitalizes on this. It’s after the ice cream is eaten when the film begins to fall apart.
Unlike “Weapons,” there is no emotional core to “Ice Cream Man.” They eat, they kill. The end. This makes it challenging to fully invest in the story, a similar problem to Damien Leone’s original “Terrifier” (2016). While that series has expanded to include individuals that you care about, Roth may have shown his cards too much here. The third act of the film shifts to a complete standstill to provide backstory on the Ice Cream Man. While every other aspect feels underdeveloped, the lore is overshared. Because of this, there’s not much story left to tell if this does develop a cult following.
A cult following? Possibly. Despite the widespread criticism of “Ice Cream Man,” it’s a movie that fans of carnage candy will eat up. Roth unleashes a full slate of body horror, with pretty much every grotesque scenario you can think of on display. Practical effects work shines (which will likely be overshadowed by the AI controversy), delivering a full platter of comically brutal killings. Many of which had me wincing. Director of photography Simon Shohet makes these moments exhilarating with the camerawork. Whether it’s jolting up and down or swirling around, there’s always movement that adds to the intensity as weapon-wielding kids run around. Fans of “Terrifier,” especially, will likely “eat” this up — which could possibly push it in a similar direction as that franchise.
It seems like you can’t talk about 2026 movies without needing to bring up artificial intelligence. “Ice Cream Man” is now added to the dreadful list, joining “Stop! That! Train!,” “Chum,” “Young Washington” and “Kill Code.” Unlike several of those films, the usage is largely relegated to brief scenes here, never stealing the focus from the positive digital work within.
With a nostalgic aesthetic, the film takes a similar approach to that of George Clooney’s “Suburbicon” (2017). Which, funnily enough, is another poorly received movie that I enjoy. Everything is pristine, with production designer Peter Mihaichuk creating a polished environment and costume designer Jenifur Jarvis putting actors in vintage outfits. The performances themselves fall into this style as well, with sitcom-like delivery from everyone involved.
In a movie full of child actors, Charlie Zeltzer (Jared) is at the center of it. He plays fully into this “cheesy” approach with sassy dialogue and a smile that doesn’t often fade. It’s his performance that sets the tone of the movie, making it clear that this is for chuckles rather than depth. Appearing alongside him are Kiori Mirza Waldman (Mia) and Shiloh O’Reilly (Tommy). Other performances come from Sarah Abbott (Lizzie), Roth (Marty), Karen Cliche (Alison) and Ari Millen (Ice Cream Man). Millen doesn’t deliver any words during the 86-minute runtime, but he still brings the “creep factor” through his blank stares and overjoyous grins.
This leads into the fact that “Ice Cream Man” feels like it’s decades behind. The comedy is outdated, with a constant barrage of jokes that fall completely flat. Instances where it attempts to establish emotion suffer the same fate. Specifically in its conclusion, there is a “heartbreaking” twist that can be seen coming from a mile away. Even as characters cry, viewers likely will find themselves laughing more than anything. Roth’s script feels almost lifeless at times, relying only on the scenarios themselves to deliver some sort of reaction.
“Ice Cream Man” is an idea without substance. While Roth’s bloody style keeps it entertaining, there’s nothing else to hold onto.
Rating: 2 out of 5
