Following the cult success of the 2021 horror-thriller The Retreat, director Pat Mills returns with a bloodier, bolder, and more emotionally layered sequel: The Retreat: Reclamation. This follow-up doesn't just revisit the trauma of the first film—it digs into it, turning survival into resistance.
Set two years after the brutal events at the remote cabin, the story follows Renee (Tommie-Amber Pirie, reprising her role) as she attempts to rebuild her life. Still haunted by the loss of her partner and the violence she endured, she’s become reclusive and distrustful. But when news surfaces of similar disappearances happening across rural Canada, Renee is pulled back into the nightmare—this time, as the hunter rather than the hunted.
Teaming up with a grassroots queer activist group, she tracks a string of abductions to a survivalist compound deep in the woods. What they uncover is far worse than they imagined: a network of ideological extremists targeting LGBTQ+ communities under the guise of "reclaiming tradition." Renee must face not only physical threats but her own unresolved fear, guilt, and rage.
The film expands the isolated horror of the original into a wider, more organized threat, making the violence feel disturbingly systemic. Yet it also empowers its protagonist: Reclamation isn’t just about escaping—it's about fighting back.
Pat Mills handles the material with a steady hand, balancing slasher thrills with political commentary. The pacing is sharp, the violence intense but never exploitative, and the cinematography leans into stark contrasts—cold forest landscapes against moments of raw emotional fire.
What makes The Retreat: Reclamation stand out is its commitment to its message. It isn’t horror for horror’s sake—it’s horror with purpose. The story resonates in today’s world, where threats to marginalized identities still echo loudly.
Some viewers may find the sequel less subtle than its predecessor, and the confrontational tone might divide audiences. But for those seeking a horror film that speaks truth while delivering scares, The Retreat: Reclamation hits its mark.
