The Mortuary Assistant Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		2.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

The Mortuary Assistant Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 23, 2026

Perhaps inspired by the success of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie franchise, director Jeremiah Kipp and screenwriters Tracee Beebe and Brian Clarke attempt to bring “The Mortuary Assistant” to the screen, adapting Clarke’s 2022 video game. It’s a cult title turned into a film that’s almost exclusively aimed at fans of the franchise, hoping to delight them with a cinematic version of gameplay, following the increasing panic and confusion of a woman under orders to disrupt a demonic possession taking place inside a mortuary. The character’s bewilderment over mission details is likely to be shared by newcomers to the brand name, as “The Mortuary Assistant” doesn’t put a lot of time into clarifying the situation and its end game. Kipp is out to generate scares with the endeavor, and he can’t shake the generic nature of the horror presented here, which isn’t imaginative, while the offering itself grows wearying as it unfolds, recycling jump scares and visuals on its way to a non-ending.

Rebecca (Willa Holland) has spent the last year of her life tending to emotional wounds, managing to remain sober as she attempts to create a career as a mortician, hired by Raymond (Paul Sparks). As she completes her instruction period, Rebecca is put to work by Raymond, who’s grown secretive with his presence around the building, keeping his new hire on the day shift. Called into the mortuary for an overnight emergency, Rebecca expects a normal evening of fixing and processing dead bodies, only to have Raymond return to the mortuary with information concerning a demonic breakout, tasking the young woman to help him work with ancient symbols and teachings to banish evil from the property. However, Rebecca is already fighting a darkness that infiltrates her mind, tapping into the heavy guilt from her past as she wrestles with reality during her shift.

There’s not a whole lot to explore when it comes to Rebecca’s backstory. She’s a year sober, trying to conceal scars on her wrists after experiencing a traumatic adolescence. She’s lost her father, basically dealing with life on her own, though sponsor Kelly (Keena Ferguson Frasier) tries to be there for the young woman as she attempts to rebuild her life. Part of this rehabilitation is employment, and “The Mortuary Assistant” picks up with Rebecca during her final testing phase with Raymond, who oversees her skill with cleaning and embalming bodies, impressed with her skill and focus. Raymond is in charge, and he has his own secrets, as the movie briefly details his strange ways around the building, trying to keep Rebecca away from his private business. “The Mortuary Assistant” sets up a professional routine for the main character, who’s eventually called into action when Raymond needs help managing an influx of fresh corpses.

Kipp attempts to keep things grisly, focusing on squishy wounds as Rebecca sews people up. Gore is plentiful in the movie, and debatably preferrable to the loose idea of a story from Beebe and Clarke, which suddenly puts Rebecca in the middle of a hellacious fight for life as Raymond dumps information concerning a demonic presence that needs to be extinguished. “The Mortuary Assistant” starts sharing information about special symbols and steps to the battle against evil, and there’s a journey into Rebecca’s tormented mind, forcing her to fight hallucinations that bring her to the edge of madness. Is any of this real? It’s difficult to say, and Kipp doesn’t lean into the mystery of it all, often committed to replicating gaming atmosphere that involves lengthy scenes of Rebecca moving around in the dark, periodically spooked by monstrous discoveries.

The Mortuary Assistant Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (2.36:1 aspect ratio) for "The Mortuary Assistant" deals with a very dark picture at times, exploring dimly lit environments. Unfortunately, compression issues are a common sight during the viewing experience, with major flare-ups along the way. Posterization is also encountered, and mild blockiness as well. Color is intentionally subdued, favoring a greenish look for mortuary tours, joined by orangey blasts of fire. Primaries are present, including sharp reds on blood and brief glimpses of greenery. Warmer hues are defined in living spaces. Skin tones are natural. Detail is acceptable, examining skin particulars on the living and the possessed, and makeup work is decently textured as bodies are opened up for inspection. Mortuary action is limited due to compression problems, but most rooms carry acceptable dimension.

The Mortuary Assistant Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix offers clear dialogue exchanges throughout the listening event. Conversations and more heated interactions are capably balanced. Scoring delivers defined synth support, with acceptable dramatic surges as monstrous happenings begin to occur. Surrounds also feel out musical moods, along with milder atmospherics. Sound effects are sharp. Low-end isn't powerful.

The Mortuary Assistant Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Behind-the-Scenes Featurette (6:09, HD) is a brief look at the making of "The Mortuary Assistant," offering EPK-style interviews with director Jeremiah Kipp, executive producers Brian Clarke and Randy Sinquefield, production designer Chelsea Turner, SFX makeup coordinator Norman Cabrera, and actors Willa Holland, John Adams, and Paul Sparks. The interviewees are in pure salesmanship mode, and there's no BTS footage.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this release.

The Mortuary Assistant Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Mortuary Assistant" is pretty basic in terms of genre entertainment, also looking to use Rebecca's past pain to keep her current war with reality in play, maintaining a connection to the guilt she refuses to release. There are bits and pieces of motivation, but an emotional through line isn't established, and the game's rules and explanations don't translate to cinematic drama smoothly, leaving those without a working knowledge of Clarke's creation out in the cold for the most part, forced to interpret Raymond's perplexing instructions and reactions. "The Mortuary Assistant" muddies up one too many times, leading to an unsatisfying ending on an already confusing picture, while the basic genre experience of the production doesn't bring any fresh ideas to help generate a proper fear factor.