Coyotes — Fantastic Fest Review
Source: Aura Entertainment
Colin Minihan’s latest feature Coyotes delivers exactly what its title promises. This horror-comedy follows a wealthy family in the Hollywood Hills as they struggle to survive a relentless attack by a ravenous pack of coyotes. The story unfolds over the course of one harrowing night, made even more chaotic by a severe thunderstorm that topples trees, knocks out power, and cuts the family off from help just as the carnage begins. It’s a knowingly absurd premise that could have lent itself to outrageous camp or biting social satire, but the film never fully commits to either. Instead, it settles into a middling, shlocky B-movie groove, lacking the thrills, laughs, or self-aware energy needed to make the experience feel worthwhile.
Real-life couple Justin Long and Kate Bosworth star as husband and wife, with Mila Harris as their daughter, Chloe. All three deliver earnest, believable performances, doing their best with the thin material they’re given. Unfortunately, the family spends most of the film making a series of inexplicably poor, frustrating decisions, which makes it difficult to root for them. One could argue we’re not supposed to, as this is quite literally an “eat the rich” story. However, the film doesn’t seem to want us rooting for their demise either. If it truly aimed to be an “eat the rich” tale, as its tagline suggests, it would need to embrace a sharper satirical tone. Instead, it’s stranded between modes, unsure whether to go full campy creature feature, commit to social allegory, or play as a straight survival thriller.
Source: Aura Entertainment
For viewers who simply want to watch killer coyotes maul privileged Hollywood elites, there is some fleeting novelty, but the film offers little beyond that surface-level hook. The plot unfolds with paint-by-numbers predictability. The attacks, though sporadically grisly, lack the inventive staging or escalating tension that could have made the premise sing. The film also fails to deliver the over-the-top, hard-hitting laughs one would expect from a ridiculous horror comedy like this. The visual effects leave much to be desired. Naturally, real coyotes weren’t going to be used in the making of the film, but the ones on screen look a little too artificial.
The one true standout is Brittany Allen, who stars as Julie, a sex worker hired by the family’s neighbor. She brings a spark of comedic timing to her role, and behind the scenes, she also composed the film’s score, which ends up being its most effective element. Her music injects the kind of pulse and personality the rest of the film lacks, briefly giving the action a sense of momentum and fun.
Ultimately, Coyotes is a creature feature that struggles to balance being scary, funny, and clever, leaving it entertaining in brief flashes but never fully realizing its potential.
Coyotes screens at Fantastic Fest on September 20-24, 2025.
