Eye for an Eye (2025) is a Southern Gothic horror film directed by Colin Tilley, adapted from the graphic novel Mr. Sandman by Elisa Victoria. The story centers on Anna Reeves (played by Whitney Peak), a teenager grieving the sudden death of her parents in a car accident. She relocates from New York to a humid, small town in Florida to live with her estranged grandmother, May Roberts (S. Epatha Merkerson). Desperate for connection, Anna befriends two local teens, but her vulnerability leads her to become complicit in their brutal act of bullying and violence against a vulnerable peer. This awakens an ancient curse: Mr. Sandman (or Vincent), the vengeful spirit of a tormented child who haunts the dreams of bullies, tormenting them with surreal nightmares before gruesomely claiming their eyeballs upon waking. As Anna's name appears etched on a cursed tree marking her as a target, she learns the legend from her great-aunt Patti (Golda Rosheuvel) and races to repent and break the cycle before becoming the spirit's next victim. The narrative builds to a climax of atonement and closure, where Anna's genuine remorse allows the spirit to find peace, erasing her from the curse-though the town's lore persists as a deterrent to future cruelty.
Themes Explored
The film delves into several interconnected themes, blending psychological horror with supernatural elements to critique human behavior:
The Ramifications of Bullying and Everyday Violence: At its core, Eye for an Eye examines how seemingly "minor" acts of cruelty-rooted in adolescent insecurity or group dynamics-can escalate into irreversible harm, perpetuated by a supernatural force that targets perpetrators. It highlights the psychological toll on both victims and bystanders, portraying bullying not as isolated incidents but as a potent, insidious force in small-town life.
Grief, Isolation, and the Search for Belonging: Anna's relocation and loss underscore the loneliness of adolescence compounded by trauma. The film uses her outsider status in a claustrophobic Southern community to explore how grief can make one susceptible to toxic influences, while familial reconnection (with her grandmother and aunt) offers a path to healing.
Cyclical Violence and Retributive Justice: Drawing from the biblical "eye for an eye" motif, the curse embodies a literal cycle of vengeance born from unresolved childhood trauma (the spirit's own history of abuse). It questions whether supernatural retribution breaks or merely mirrors human patterns of harm, emphasizing that true justice requires personal accountability rather than external punishment.
Guilt, Redemption, and the Power of Repentance: The story's emotional arc focuses on the transformative potential of admitting wrongdoing. Anna's journey from complicity to atonement illustrates how confronting guilt can disrupt cycles of hatred, offering closure to both the living and the restless dead-though the film leaves room for ambiguity about whether such peace is permanent.
It has plenty of unique effects such as a surrealism, abstracts, stop-motion animation and some CGI. But it also has pacing issues which I found distracting. I also think they could have found a better pair of sunglasses for the aunt lol.
