Ketchup on Waffles

This is a film that was brought to my attention by Aaron from A&B Horror. This was one that he brought to the Dreadcast, to which we both are contributors. He had an interview lined up with the writer/director and asked if I'd be interested in joining. Ahead of that, I was able to check out the screener of this film. The limited information that he shared and that this is a 2025 horror release, I came into this one blind.

Synopsis: Three masked attackers terrorize a college-town diner late on a Friday night. Their leader orchestrates increasingly brutal murders of the customers for fun over several hours.

Now this starts with a disclaimer about containing truly evil acts. It jumps over to extreme close ups of people being interviewed by the police, telling their account of what happened on this fateful night. We never truly get a good look at the people when we come back to these. There's then another warning about this being a dishonest retelling of events. Something to also note here, this premise seemed to stem from a Reddit post about the combination of ketchup on waffles. The people that enjoy this are considered psychopaths.

It is from here that we see two masked individuals. One wears a white one, played by Ian O'Boyle, while his friend is in blue, Rob Rappa. They attack a homeless man, where humiliate and shoot him with a gun. We then see this duo dancing in outrageous ways.

We then see an interaction between Abby (Czarissa Moreno) and her sister. The former is going out on dates and bringing guys home. Her sister is annoyed, calling her names. We then see her out with Ryan (Hector Rivera). Things went well and outside of her place, she asks if he's hungry. There is a diner around the corner that they could go to, extending the night. It is on their way there, they pass by the duo from earlier. They currently aren't in masks and they're joined by a third guy, played by Max Unlu. They call Ryan names, get him agitated and try to provoke a fight. Abby keeps things calm as they separate.

Our couple comes into the diner that is full of other people who have been partaking in drinks. The best way to describe this is a nicer Waffle House, for those from the United States. There are people who are a bit too drunk, throwing food and arguing with the waiter. Things take a dark turn though. The guys we saw outside donned their masks. Unlu is wearing red. They lock the doors. This takes the night in a series of psychological and physical torture as well as murder.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that this is an intense film. It sets the stage by showing us that part of this is found-footage. The Blue is carrying a camera. He also seems to be better friends with The White. The Red is someone they bring on for this night at the diner. He gets under the skin of The White. It feels like we're there with aggressors and the victims. This idea I'll come back to. I'll then end out this section by saying, this feels like a combination of Man Bites Dog, Funny Games and Trash Humpers.

Now that I've set it up, let's start with the filmmaking techniques. We get a combination like I said of The Blue filming with a camera, bringing in shades of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer to watch later. It is coupled with filming in a more conventional style. Even this latter has a sway to it, almost like we are watching things happen but not stopping it. That adds an intimacy to the events we watch later. We're seeing from the point of view of the masked men as well as their victims. There's that idea that if the victims banded together from the start, they could put an end to it. Instead, though, people sit ideally by, hoping that they're not targeted. This in turn doesn't exempt them from being next. The filming style works well here.

Then to stick with this, the attacks aren't necessarily on the screen. This is a credit to the framing. There is one that is behind batwing doors. We hear the guy screaming and then the aftermath. It made me cringe though knowing what was being done. There are practically done effects which help. This is strategic in how they're shown which adds to the realism. There are also quick cuts to allow our brains to fill in what we think we're seeing. The sound design adds to building this atmosphere. I also dug the opening song as well as another one that we got later into the movie. It adds to the vibe and helps build the anxiety to the attacks.

I'll then shift to the story, but this is limited there. It is more of a character study. What is interesting is that we never truly learn much about the masked men. There is an interesting scene where The White removes his covering to talk to Abby. That makes sense. She saw him earlier in the night and he revealed that it was him. The title of the film comes back into play. I'm not sure if The White is insane. From the things he said, he has lost some grip on reality. There's also this idea that he was someone who was intelligent but didn't necessarily go to college. The synopsis alludes to this being a college area, causing him to lash out at students. Now this is conjecture so credit to the movie for sparking the consideration.

Since this is more of a character study, let's discuss the acting performances. O'Boyle is such a menace. He is terrifying without going over the top. When he blows up at The Red or the victims, it is terrifying. It comes out of nowhere. Moreno and Rivera are good as the two leads. She is given more to develop her character. What I give her the most credit for is how broken she is at the climax. It is sad but well done. Rappa and Unlu are solid as The White's helpers. Credit as well to Theissen who takes on a couple of smaller roles as well. The other victims in the diner are solid as well. They're believable, which is all you need here.

In conclusion, this is an intense and disturbing character study that excels in its filmmaking techniques, particularly its unsettling blend of found-footage and conventional cinematography. While the narrative is sparse, the film's strength lies in its exploration of the masked attackers and the harrowing psychological and physical torment inflicted upon their victims. O'Boyle delivers a chilling performance as The White, supported by solid portrayals from Moreno and Rivera. This film will undoubtedly resonate with fans of extreme horror, drawing comparisons to titles like Man Bites Dog and Funny Games. However, due to its graphic and unsettling nature, it is not a film I would recommend to every viewer.

My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.