The Cycle review: Deborah Ann Woll autopsies her father in a horror that loses its way

By Elena Vasquez

The Cycle, a psychodrama starring Deborah Ann Woll as a forensic scientist who autopsies her own father, reveals itself as a horror film more than halfway through, according to the Guardian's review published 20 October 2026.

The film stars Woll as Meg, a young forensic science expert whose professional polish conceals what the reviewer calls "a steely composure and strong stomach that's not in the slightest bit discombobulated by all the rotting, decomposing flesh she deals with on the daily."

What works in the first half?

The family drama. The Guardian's critic judges the build-up as "not bad," praising the offbeat dynamic between Meg and her father's corpse before the genre machinery takes over.

Where does it go wrong?

The horror elements. The review describes a "detailed transformation sequence" — showreel material for effects technicians, but marred by creature design the critic finds "a little plasticky," comparable to objects 3D-printed elsewhere in the film.

The verdict: "Tense story fritters away initial levels interest as generic horrors eclipse offbeat family dynamic."

The takeaway in plain words: the more conventional the film becomes, the less interesting it is — a warning for viewers drawn in by the premise rather than the creature effects.