‘The Rule of Jenny Pen’ – Review
Sinister psychological horror and dark humour unite for a story of pure madness in The Rule of Jenny Pen, and this is a picture infused with a haunting sense of dread as a battle of power and control wages for the very right to survive.
Recovering from a stroke at an assisted living facility, a judge (Geoffrey Rush) encounters a psychopathic patient (John Lithgow) who uses a hand puppet to abuse fellow residents.
If hell on earth does it exist, then The Rule of Jenny Pen, clarifies that it likely can be found inside the beige corridors of a closed-off retirement home in New Zealand, where its sad residents deteriorate both mentally and physically at a glacial rate while being kept alive by the best in modern medicine, and suffering through it all in banal silence and despair. Injected into this environment is a good dose of Bosch-like madness, and filmmaker James Ashcroft uses this environment to keep his audience on edge and freaked out of their minds in this chilling psychological horror picture!
At its core, The Rule of Jenny Pen is a predator-versus-prey thriller, drenched in psychological trauma and grotesque power dynamics. It follows the terrifying ordeal of Judge Stefan Mortensen (Geoffrey Rush), a once-revered legal mind now trapped in the clutches of the deranged Dave Crealy (John Lithgow). Crealy, a man who has long since learned to manipulate the system to his benefit, lords over the residents with the help of his sinister puppet, ‘Jenny Pen’ — an entity as eerie as it is inexplicably powerful. The tension between these two powerhouse actors makes for a spellbinding game of cat and mouse, one that unfolds in shocking and unpredictable ways.
Ashcroft crafts a narrative that refuses to let audiences find their footing. The film seamlessly shifts between gut-wrenching horror and pitch-black comedy, keeping viewers on edge with every twist and turn. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, Ashcroft slams the brakes and veers into new, terrifying territory. This unpredictability is what makes The Rule of Jenny Pen such a standout in the modern horror landscape.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the phenomenal performances of its leads. John Lithgow is terrifyingly brilliant as Dave Crealy, embodying a presence that is both grotesque and hypnotic. He revels in his character’s perverse control over his fellow residents, making Crealy one of the most chilling horror antagonists in recent memory. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Rush brings his signature gravitas to Mortensen, portraying a man whose arrogance is shattered as he is forced into Crealy’s twisted game. The battle of wills between these two acting legends is nothing short of mesmerizing, elevating The Rule of Jenny Pen beyond standard horror fare into something truly special.
Ashcroft’s direction ensures that The Rule of Jenny Pen is not just a horror film — it’s an experience. This is the kind of psychological terror that seeps into your brain and lingers long after the credits roll. The film plays with expectations, never giving the audience a moment of respite, and by the time the final act arrives, viewers will find themselves completely immersed in its nightmarish world.
The Rule of Jenny Pen is not for the faint of heart. It’s a horror film that dares to be different, one that thrives on its discomfort and chaos. Ashcroft has crafted something truly special here, a film that is as disturbing as it is unforgettable, which is exactly what horror fans have been wanting!
Image: IFC Films
