Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man humorously nods to Hitchcock’s The Birds with a scene depicting children instead of birds gathering ominously. Here, the kids, after sampling gruesome ice cream flavors from a silent vendor (Ari Millen), unleash a chaotic, murderous rage against adults. Though aiming for cleverness, Roth lacks Hitchcock’s editing finesse, often rushing to graphic scenes of violence that feel exaggerated and artificial compared to The Birds’ chilling subtlety.
The film draws on 1950s EC horror comics, recalling narratives where children become menacing figures. One such story features a baseball game played with dismembered body parts, mirrored in Ice Cream Man through grotesque imagery—think little girls skipping rope with entrails and ice cream scoops used for sinister purposes. While referencing various horror films that depict violent children, Roth’s take comes off as juvenile and heavily embedded in 1980s horror culture.
The film features a convoluted “explanation” that parodies A Nightmare on Elm Street, presenting an overly complex curse-evading solution, ultimately making it seem more like a playful romp than genuine horror. While it has the potential for shock, it often veers into the absurd, making it feel insubstantial—like the ice cream it centers around. Ice Cream Man is set for UK release on August 7.
