Bad Things Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Bad Things Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 9, 2026

A remote hotel in the dead of winter. Troubled characters dealing with the possible melting of their minds. Strange visions around the property. Murder coming for all. There’s clearly a beloved horror film serving as the inspiration for “Bad Things,” with writer/director Stewart Thorndike looking to revive the chilling ways of isolation and psychological disruption with the effort, taking viewers to a strange getaway for a group of friends who have little respect for one another, facing unexpected finality during what’s meant to be a week of partying. Thorndike doesn’t have a budget, but she has a location, doing okay with the emptiness of the hotel setting and all the secrets it contains. However, a little disturbing behavior doesn’t carry “Bad Things,” which only connects in select moments, while the rest of the endeavor plays like a community theater production of “The Shining.”

Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) has inherited a hotel owned by her grandmother, bypassing her mother, who doesn’t make herself available to her daughter. Looking to sell the property and move on with her life, Ruthie decides to make a vacation out of it, joining pals Cal (Hari Nef), Maddie (Rad Pereria), and Fran (Annabelle Dexter-Jones) as they move into the hotel for a week, getting a look at the abandoned business while spending time with one another, preparing for big fun. Such joy is throttled by personal issues, with Fran dealing with a cancer scare and a leg wound, also interested in reviving a sexual relationship with Ruthie, who’s currently dating Cal. A moment of indiscretion puts Ruthie on edge, looking to ignore carnal activity with Fran, but something darker is brewing in the hotel. While Fran begins to see ghostly activity in the rooms, Ruthie confronts her past, following video guidance from Auerbach (Molly Ringwald), an expert on hospitality.

Comley Suites isn’t exactly the Overlook Hotel, but it remains just as uninhabited for the winter season, providing some needed isolation for the main characters, who’ve traveled quite a ways to check out Ruthie’s inheritance. There’s a caretaker in Brian (Jarden Abrahamson), who believed he was in a relationship with Ruthie’s mother before she pulled away from public view, but he’s only around to make sure the pool is working. “Bad Things” mostly remains on the four women and their itchy relationships, which are put to the test during this seemingly innocent getaway, allowing for bonding time. Thorndike has the foundation for horror with the setting, and there’s a mystery in play with Ruthie’s family history, with her mother a question mark, forcing the character into a position of responsibility and business awareness that doesn’t fit well.

“Bad Things” isn’t really a scary movie. Thorndike is more interested in battered feelings and soured relationships, especially with Ruthie and Fran, who deal with forbidden feelings and a moment of weakness. Cal remains alert, aware that something is happening between the pair, letting jealousy cloud her judgement. Maddie doesn’t really have a prominent place in the story, but her tangle with violence late in the film brings more of a slasher mood to the production. “Bad Things” would rather go Kubrick-ian with haunted happenings inside the Comley, putting Fran in the middle of a freakout as she spies twin joggers around the property, also confronted by a little girl who’s missing fingers. It’s all very derivative and uninspired, failing to snowball into something creepier, which would boost the appeal of the feature. Perhaps relationship woes are interesting, but Thorndike is handing complex feelings of failure, betrayal, and fear to untested actresses, and the results aren’t as powerful as hoped, with the talent asked to reach emotional places that register awkwardly.

Bad Things Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.90:1 aspect ratio) for "Bad Things" provides a decent level of detail, doing well with hotel tours, preserving dimensional hallways and various rooms. Exteriors also maintain depth, examining the size of the building and its remote location. Skin particulars on the cast are acceptable, and costuming is fibrous, including casual outfits and swimwear. Textures are also found on decorative additions and furniture inside the hotel. Color is defined, including the bright whiteness of snowfall and signage. Clothing choices offer compelling primaries, and the brownness of the setting is intact, along with the blueness of pool water and redness of blood. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Milder compression issues are present, with banding found along the way.

Bad Things Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix isn't designed to be too commanding, primarily focusing on dialogue exchanges, which remains crisp throughout the viewing experience. Musical offerings are also defined, with clear instrumentation. Surrounds are sparingly used, pushing out some musical moments, and atmospherics around the hotel have presence. Sound effects also play with spooky happenings. Low-end isn't challenged, but heavier beats show some life.

Bad Things Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet includes an essay by Alexandra Heller Nicholas.

• Commentary features writer/director Stewart Thorndike and producers Lizzie Shapiro and Lexi Tannenholtz.

• "Playing with Randomness" (29:31, HD) is an interview with writer/director Stewart Thorndike, production designer Amy Williams, and cinematographer Grant Greenberg. Thorndike takes the lead, describing "Bad Things" as part of a trilogy about motherhood, coming after 2014's "Lyle." Working up the energy to explore horror in a more sustained manner, the director began to put together a new film, joined by Williams and Greenberg to help support a bigger production involving numerous characters and a maze-like location. Chasing snow and laboring to bring out the personality of the hotel, the interviewees describe creative pursuits and challenges, and team also explores a quest to find a "feminine" space to work with. Thorndike explores her thematic and visual intent for the picture as well, aiming to change up genre norms to make a more interesting feature. Praise is shared for the actors, and cinematic language is identified, highlighting design choices made during the shoot.

• Archival Interviews (HD) offer time with actress Molly Ringwald (10:39), actress Hari Nef (31:11), actress Gayle Rankin (18:39), actress Annabelle Dexter-Jones (14:57), actress Rad Pereria (17:01), and actor Jared Abrahamson.

• "Bad Things" (11:03, HD) is a visual essay by Alexandra West.

• Image Gallery (3:16) collects BTS snaps.

• And a Trailer (1:26, HD) is included.

Bad Things Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Bad Things" attempts to layer on mental issues, with Ruthie focusing on Auerbach's videos, listening to her wisdom. Cal is also stressed out, confronting the limited impulse control of her lover. Bodies start to pile up in the last act of the film, which nudges the feature into a few campy directions, and to approach the material from a logic standpoint is going to trigger a headache. These are characters who witness a dead body and are attacked by a CPAP mask-wearing ghoul, but choose to remain in the hotel, even sleeping there for another night. One could argue that "Bad Things" isn't meant to represent any sort of reality, but Thorndike doesn't put in the work to sell such fantasy, providing a meandering viewing experience that's light on frights and compelling mysteriousness.