The Shrouds review: "A dry, disappointing effort from David Cronenberg"

GamesRadar+ VerdictA dry, disappointing Cronenberg effort, one whose overly cerebral nature never truly translates into anything exciting or relevant.

GamesRadar+ Verdict

GamesRadar+ Verdict

A dry, disappointing Cronenberg effort, one whose overly cerebral nature never truly translates into anything exciting or relevant.

A dry, disappointing Cronenberg effort, one whose overly cerebral nature never truly translates into anything exciting or relevant.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.

The Shrouds had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Here’s our review.

In 2022 David Cronenberg returned after an eight-year hiatus withCrimes of the Future, a twisted, sexually charged tale containing echoes of the body-horror-fixated work of the Canadian auteur’s earlier films. The Shrouds, his latest movie, is morbidly obsessed with the body too, but only in its decomposing state.

All of which, alas, adds up to very little in a film that muses on life, death, grief and the forces that move us in decidedly muted fashion. Cassel, who was far more vigorous in his earlier Cronenberg collaborations (Russian-gangster taleEastern Promisesand Freud/Jung sagaA Dangerous Method), handles his role well enough, but can’t really bring either the character or the film to life. A rather uninvolving conspiracy plot doesn’t exactly help matters, nor the drably efficient visual palette. (DoP Douglas Koch also lensed Crimes of the Future.)

As ever, Cronenberg leaves you with much to chew on, but dramatically The Shrouds feels rather inert, as if it can’t get out of second gear. At least Kruger gets to show range with her dual performance, demonstrating what an underrated talent she is. But as a Cronenberg film, The Shrouds is unlikely to trouble anyone’s list of his best films.

The Shrouds' release date is currently TBC. For more from Cannes, here’s ourMegalopolis reviewand ourThe Substance review.

We’ve also got a list of all of theupcoming horror moviesthat should be on your radar.

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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

1

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

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4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”

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Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

3

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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4

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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

5

Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

Squid Game season 2

1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”

1

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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

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2

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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

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4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

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Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

5

Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

Contents