Maika Monroe Unleashes Terror in Gory 'Victorian Psycho' Adaptation

Maika Monroe takes on a decidedly different kind of horror role in Victorian Psycho, stepping away from her usual persecuted characters to play a lethal governess. Adapted from Virginia Feito's bloody novel, the film follows Winifred Notty as she enters the service of an entitled household in 19th-century England, where systemic misogyny, poverty, and constant danger frame her violent descent into darkness.

Rather than framing the narrative as a straightforward tale of female empowerment, screenwriter Feito and director Zachary Wigon lean into a gonzo, supernatural-tinged horror experience. Critics note that Monroe delivers a fiercely physical performance, utilizing unsettling body contortions and shedding her typical scream-queen persona to become the terror itself. The supporting cast features Thomasin McKenzie, Ruth Wilson, and Jason Isaacs as members of the deeply dysfunctional and oblivious upper class.

Despite Monroe's standout work, reviews indicate the film stumbles in its tonal balance, frequently struggling with uneven comedy and excessive stylistic flourishes. While the plot follows a familiar domestic thriller blueprint complete with extreme bloodshed and shocking boundaries, it occasionally lacks the restraint needed to make the terror truly land. US audiences can catch the film in theaters starting November 13.