Glorious (Shudder) Review

4 star gruesomely hilarious cosmic horror.

Glorious is a 2022 American horror film, directed by Rebekah McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring). Written by Todd Rigney (Found), Joshua Hull (Choppping Block) and David Ian McKendry (Psycho Granny), it is a Shudder Original which will be available to stream exclusively on Shudder from 18th August 2022.

“You know, some things may seem broken, but it usually just means you stopped trying, yes sir.”

As the film opens we see Wes (Ryan Kwanten – Home and Away, True Blood) driving along, obviously distressed and falling asleep at the wheel. He makes the wise (or so you would think) decision to pull into the nearest rest stop.

Here his frustration continues as he is foiled by a vending machine, luckily fellow traveller Sharon (Tordy Clark – Bad Candy) is on hand to help. Tormented by thoughts of his ex Brenda (Sylvia Grace Crim – Unhinged, Body Cam) he argues with himself until he finally decides he has had enough and turns to the bottle, burning his belongings in the parking lot.

The next morning, a massive hangover drives him into the less than sanitary men’s rest room to throw up. While inside, a voice (J.K.Simmons – Patriots Day, Rock Dog) adresses him from the next stall over. Not much of a bathroom talker, Wes declines the invitation, but soon discovers he is unable to leave and seems to be in the middle of something far bigger than anything he has encountered before.

“Stop it. It’s done. It’s done and dusted. Just leave it. Put the phone away.”

Glorious is a marvellously enjoyable film to watch. There are some fantastic performances, Ryan Kwanten is worringly good as the totally unhinged Wes, and J.K. Simmons is as magnificent as ever.

It’s a bold moving putting horror on a Lovecraftian scale in the most mundanely human of settings, and one which pays off admirably. It also never takes itself too seriously and there are a good few laugh out loud moments. When the gore happens, it really happens, blood everywhere just as it should be.

With a compelling story and a very unexpected twist at the end, this one is most definitely worth a watch.

“So you’re a God, living in a rest stop bathroom, in a stall that’s glory hole adjacent, is that it?”

Glorious is available to stream exclusively on Shudder from 18th August 2022.