Popeye The Slayer Man Blu Ray Review (VMI)

Popeye the Slayer Man is a 2025 slasher produced and directed by Robert Michael Ryan (Ouija Witch, Revelations, Dark Corners Horror Anthology, and Dark Revelations). It was written by John Doolan (The Toybox, Assault of the Sasquatch, Remains, The Murder Pact, Dead Souls, Ouija Witch, Stalker’s Prey, and Alien Opponent). It’s based on the legendary character created by writer E.C. Segar. It was produced by Jeff Miller (Freakshow, The Burning Dead, Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan, Nutcracker Massacre, Kill ‘Em All, Death Kiss, The Gardener, and Pet Graveyard). It grossed $80,179 during it’s limited theatrical run. A group of friends which includes Dexter (played by: Sean Michael Conway from Ouija Witch), Katie (played by: Mabel Thomas from Demonic Toys: Jack-Attack and The Resonator franchise), Lisa (played by: Marie-Louise Boisnier from Max Payne: Perdition), Seth (played by: Jeff Thomas from 77), and the new girl in town Olivia (played by: Elena Juliano from My Friend’s Play) trespass an abandoned spinach canning factory to investigate it’s mysterious history and shocking rumors while making a documentary. The legend of the Sailor Man (played by: Jason Robert Stephens from Things II, Bloodstream, and Merchants of Death) terrorizes the community. Is it really haunted by the real life monster? or Is it just a silly myth???? Since Popeye the Sailor Man went public domain, there’s been a few independent features made based on the iconic character. 3 different horror adaptations were released so far including Shiver Me Timbers, Popeye’s Revenge, and this one. Wally Meets Popeye was also produced, it’s a comedy with some creature elements thrown in. I’ve covered them all except for Popeye’s Revenge and Popeye the Slayer Man is the best one so far. It’s directed by actor Robert Michael Ryan (How I Met Your Mother) and I think this is his most interesting feature so far behind the camera. It was written by television and low budget veteran writer John Doolan. It knows exactly what type of film it is. It’s an over the top live action version of the cartoon that’s put into a slasher situation. The backstory shows up a little later but they keep it simple for the most part. It has a twist closer to the end but I thought it was pretty obvious early on but it still adds some motivation to the main villain. The main cast for Popeye the Slayer Man is mostly unknown actors that haven’t done much yet so it actually works to it’s advantages and they feel more natural in this crazy scenario. I only recognized Scream Queen Mabel Thomas because she’s been in multiple Full Moon Features over the years and she had the best performance from the group. She had the audience rooting for her character. They kinda went with the later Freddy Krueger style of villain for the Sailor Man. He wasn’t a silent killer, he had some wise cracks and jokes as he slaughtered some of his unlucky victims. Jason Robert Stephens was solid as the brutal monster that just doesn’t want people invading his home so he’s just trying to protect it. They really went with a completely different look for the legendary Popeye for this slasher. It does fit with it’s over the top and live action cartoon vibe. It’s explained what’s happening with him later on so there’s a reason for his unhinged appearance. The rest of the supporting cast includes Angela Relucio (Code Black), Sarah Nicklin (V/H/S/ Halloween), Scott Swope (Wonder Woman 1984), Nathan Todaro (Van Wilder), Richard Lounello (Johnny Gruesome), Steven McCormack (Reptile), Doug Decker (Succession), Joel Frometa (Ghost Punchers), Clayton Turner (Microdose), and Christian Elán Ortiz (Alpha/Beta). I love the fact that they actually used old school practical special fx instead of CGI. It’s one of the main reasons to watch this slasher version of Popeye. It’s done by artists Raiden Gorby (Waffles + Mochi) and RJ Young (Clowns in the Woods). Popeye the Slayer Man is loaded with creative kills, gruesome violence, and plenty of nasty gore. There’s some awesome moments when it comes to that. It has a solid body count and a few of these characters totally deserve to get destroyed especially Katie’s abusive boyfriend. He’s one of the most unlikable scumbags that I’ve seen recently. It goes by pretty fast, it has a real nice pace and organic flow to everything so it doesn’t feel forced at all. There’s never really a dull moment, it always keeps itself very entertaining during it’s mayhem. It leaves the possibility of a sequel which is always nice. It’s a bloody blast, it’s the perfect movie to watch with a group of friends or a crowd with some alcohol in you. Turn off your brain and just enjoy the chaos, RECOMMENDED!!!! Let’s discuss this high definition presentation and special features from Vantage Media! This 1080p (2.35:1) unrated transfer looks really good especially considering it’s budget. It looks bigger than what it is. They used it wisely on it’s gory special fx and it’s main location which stand out the most when it comes to it’s visuals. It has an English: Dolby Digital 5.1 track on the disc. The audio really kicks in when the group sneaks into the isolated factory. Most of the violence and deaths in this get the best treatment when it comes to sound. The score helps out those scenes so much. All of the dialogue is very clean, the killing is elevated, and the music has a huge boost to it. It has English SDH subtitles. It has an “Audio Commentary” with Robert Michael Ryan, Jeff Miller, Cuyle Carvin, Alexander Tucker, and Nathan Todaro. They chat about the locations, casting, the characters, the overall shoot, some of their past productions, chemistry, technical aspects, and special fx. They break down the different places and days where certain scenes took place. They were shooting 8 to 10 pages a day because they only had a certain amount of time to do it all. They point out various connections to this feature. They have fun revisiting this slasher but they still provide all kinds of stories and fun facts about Popeye the Slayer Man. It’s a very detailed and informative conversation that basically goes scene by scene for this track. It has the almost 10 minute “Behind the Scenes Featurette”. It has interviews with a variety of the cast and crew. They chat about the concept for this horror version of the classic Popeye. They talk about the fx, sets, shooting schedule, characters, and the cast. They go over their experiences from it and do a quick rundown of their roles. It has some behind the scenes footage from it. They show Influencers and others hyping It before it was released. It has the almost 4 minute The Man from Alphabet “Sailor to Slayer” music video directed by Nina Helene Hirten (Model M and Derosnec). It has the “Trailer” for Popeye the Slayer Man. It’s a professionally made on demand BD-R. It’s currently streaming on Tubi. It’s available everywhere right now including MovieZyng.com, CHECK IT OUT!!!!