Ice Cream Man (2026) Review: Eli Roth's Goriest Summer Nightmare Yet

Sponsored

source: tv.lk21

Synopsis:

Ice Cream Man (2026) is a horror gore comedy film directed by Eli Roth (Hostel, Thanksgiving, Cabin Fever). The film was released on August 7, 2026 in the US via Iconic Releasing and The Horror Section (Roth's new production company). The film has a runtime of 106 minutes (Theatrical) / 86 minutes (Not Rated) and was written by Eli Roth himself and Noah Belson. Reportedly, Roth had kept the idea for this film for 20 years. Roth's own tagline says: 

"It's like The Birds but with children. I filmed 100 kids going completely nuts with axes, playing jump rope with guts and tetherball with a head."

In a super idyllic small town called Bayleen Bay, summer should be beautiful. Suddenly, a mysterious ice cream truck arrives, driven by a silent and creepy man. The kids are immediately obsessed. The problem is, the ice cream contains a curse. Every child who eats it goes into a trance after watching a strange vintage rubber-hose style cartoon video on their phones. At night, the truck drives around playing music. The children who have eaten the ice cream wake up and brutally slaughter their own parents. Our protagonist is Jared Mayfair, he survives because he is lactose-intolerant, so he doesn't eat the ice cream. He is the first to realize his friends are acting strange. Together with his classmates who also haven't eaten it, Tommy and Mia, they have to survive when the ice cream truck comes to the school. The possessed children start killing all the teachers and adults in town, while forcing other children to eat the ice cream so they become possessed as well. Jared's older sister, Lizzie, accidentally eats Jared's portion of ice cream and becomes paralyzed, but manages to throw it back up. Lizzie and her ex-boyfriend Chris try to save Jared and hide in a local church. In the church basement they find a giant walk-in freezer full of cursed ice cream stock and a local priest who is hiding. From there they search for the origin of the Ice Cream Man and the cure.

This film gets plus points for its gore practical effects which are AWESOME. Not CGI, all prosthetics from Steve Newburn and Adrien Morot (Oscar winner). Juicy, disgusting, very detailed. An original premise, it's rare to have a horror film about an ice cream truck that turns kids into mass murderers. 90s suburbia nostalgia flipped into a nightmare. And let's not forget the credible acting of the child artists, not cringey.

The minuses (and why critics hate it), the film is tedious and has no suspense. The film only relies on shock value, but the villain does not become a horror icon, not intimidating. Then the tone is messy, between wanting to be a horror-comedy or a serious exploitation. The visuals of the town during chaos look fake, the digital fire effects are unconvincing.

This film stars: Ari Millen, Charlie Zeltzer, Benjamin Byron Davis, Karen Cliche, Sarah Abbott, Shiloh O'Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman and more.

In my opinion:

Sponsored

When I saw this is an Eli Roth film, it was certain that this film would be sadistic and bloody. This film reminds me of Weapons and the sadism of Terrifier.

The story is quite interesting, a story about an ice cream man who holds a grudge because of false accusations and sells his soul to a Necromancer to take revenge on the whole town. I praise Eli Roth's story idea, because he also provides a shocking ending. You don't need to think hard to understand this film, because Eli Roth guides smoothly and executes the story well. Yes, although there are many illogicalities and plot holes here and there.

I will give you some examples. How do these 'crazed' children change clothes from pajamas to school clothes? Even though they are in a kind of possessed state. Then in this film, adults are made too helpless. Yes, I understand maybe because they can't bear to hurt children, but come on, if you just stay silent then you will be chopped up, right? What's funny is that the main characters (who are children), can think like adults. They should be panicking and even crying.

But it's okay, this is a movie, right? Anything can and may happen. I think this film doesn't really care about the story, for me it just emphasizes the sadism. Sorry this is just my opinion. The film is still fun to watch to unwind. Honestly, this film is not for everyone. If you like Roth's over-the-top Thanksgiving, you will enjoy it. If you are looking for a truly scary horror, this will be disappointing. Won't make anyone scream.

For me this one is 6.5/10.

In your opinion, can someone be imprisoned for life for poisoning ice cream? Let's discuss in this KC about the real law behind the film Ice Cream Man.

Knowledge Center:

Can You Get LIFE IN PRISON For Poisoning Ice Cream in America? 

Sponsored

In the film Ice Cream Man, the ice cream seller intentionally gives contaminated ice cream to children in the town of Bayleen Bay. The result? The children become killers. In the real world of America, this is no longer a local police case. It immediately becomes a Federal Crime! The legal basis is 18 U.S. Code § 1365 - Tampering with Consumer Products (Federal Anti-Tampering Act). This law was created in 1983 after the Tylenol murders case that shocked the US. The core of this law is:

"Whoever, with reckless disregard for the risk that another person will be placed in danger of death or bodily injury and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to such risk... [and so on]"

The punishment is tiered:

• Attempt alone, imprisonment up to 10 years.
• If it causes serious injury, up to 20 years.
• If it causes death, fine and life imprisonment (LIFE IMPRISONMENT).

Why does the FBI get involved? Because ice cream is a product that affects interstate commerce (trade between states). Once it enters that realm, the FBI, FDA, and USDA are in charge of the investigation, not just the local police. So the Ice Cream Man in the film, if in the real world, will not be tried for ordinary murder, but for Federal Food Tampering which resulted in mass death and he will get the maximum sentence, which is Life in Prison.