Review by Jon Donnis
Popeye the Slayer Man is a 2025 American B-horror slasher directed by Robert Michael Ryan and based loosely on E. C. Segar's iconic cartoon character. But this isn't the pipe-smoking sailor many will remember from their childhood. This version takes Popeye and drags him into the world of blood-soaked horror, transforming the beloved character into a monstrous, silent killer fuelled by decades of rage and tainted spinach.
The story kicks off in Anchor Bay, where a young woman fleeing two drug dealers stumbles into the abandoned Anchor Bay Cannery. The factory, once home to a booming spinach empire, has long been closed down due to contamination scandals. Legend says it's haunted by the "Sailor Man", and when the dealers follow her inside, they're quickly and brutally torn apart by a hulking figure. It sets the tone immediately, this is a slasher that leans into gore and myth, mixing the urban legend feel with the over-the-top violence expected from the genre.
Soon after, a documentary crew of college students arrive to explore the myth before the building is demolished. Led by Dexter and his mysterious friend Olivia, the group sneaks in to record their findings. Alongside them are Lisa, Seth, and Katie, who are eventually joined by Katie's jealous boyfriend Joey and his mates Jesse and Terry. What begins as a fun, creepy exploration quickly turns into a desperate fight for survival. One by one, the group are picked off in increasingly gruesome ways by the monstrous Sailor Man, who has been living in the factory and feeding off the very spinach that once made him famous, now tainted and toxic, it's given him freakish strength and twisted his mind.
What the film does well is balance the horror with its absurd premise. There's a genuine attempt to explain the transformation of Popeye into a killer. Through newspaper clippings and found files, it's revealed that his wife, a woman named Olive Oyl, tried to blow the whistle on the factory's contamination years ago. She vanished under suspicious circumstances, leaving behind a child behind. It adds a surprising emotional layer to the story.
As a horror film, Popeye the Slayer Man delivers. The kills are nasty, creative, and practical effects are used well throughout. Limbs are torn off, bodies are crushed in canning machines, and in one of the more memorable deaths, a character is beaten to death with his own severed arm. It's gruesome, silly, and exactly what you want from a low-budget horror romp. Despite its obvious limitations, the filmmakers make smart use of their confined location and turn the factory into a tense, grimy labyrinth of terror.
Jason Robert Stephens plays the Sailor Man entirely under prosthetics and make-up, barely speaking a word. He's imposing and unsettling, if a little goofy-looking due to the low-budget nature of the mask. Elena Juliano as Olivia gives a solid performance as the film's emotional centre, and Sean Michael Conway brings a nice blend of geeky curiosity and reluctant heroism as Dexter. The supporting cast all do what they need to do, run, scream, and die, with enthusiasm.
The film clocks in at around 85 minutes, which is ideal. It doesn't overstay its welcome, and while the pacing drags slightly in the middle, it builds towards a satisfying and chaotic final act. The ending leaves the door open for potential sequels or even crossovers, something that seems inevitable in the growing trend of horror reimaginings of classic characters. Popeye vs Winnie The Pooh anybody?
Popeye the Slayer Man isn't for everyone. It plays things a bit too straight at times, when a more comedic tone might have made the ridiculous premise easier to embrace. And the budget limitations do show, especially in the mask design and some of the set pieces. But if you enjoy the recent wave of public domain horror like Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, there's a lot to like here. It's dumb, fun, and totally ridiculous, but never boring.
This is a Popeye story that no one asked for, but horror fans will be glad it exists.
I score Popeye the Slayer Man a solid 7.5 out of 10
Out Now on Digital
Apple TV - https://apple.co/41YEzFS
Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3R1pZHp
