Preview by Jon Donnis
Crushed is set to bring a particularly bleak vision of horror to UK audiences this October, with filmmaker Simon Rumley turning his attention to faith, revenge and the darkest aspects of human exploitation.
Starring Steve Oram in the lead role, the new thriller follows Daniel, an English vicar living with his wife May and their 10-year-old daughter Olivia in the suburbs of Bangkok. On the surface, the family appears to have a quiet and happy life. That changes after Olivia is exposed to a disturbing animal cruelty video, setting in motion a chain of events that ends with her abduction.
For Daniel and May, what follows is a desperate attempt to find their daughter and bring her home. Their search takes them into a world of fear, desperation and human depravity, while the support of their close-knit community offers some hope amid an increasingly horrific situation.
Daniel's position as a man of faith gives the story another dimension. He has spent his life preaching about God, forgiveness and faith, but when confronted with an unimaginable evil, those beliefs are put under extraordinary pressure. The central question is whether Daniel can practise what he has preached throughout his life, or whether the need for revenge will prove stronger.
Rumley, whose previous work includes Red White & Blue and The Living and the Dead, expands the disturbing ideas explored in his 2012 short film P is for Pressure, which featured in The ABCs of Death. Crushed takes the subject of exploitation crush videos and develops it into a feature-length story, while exploring the wider themes of trauma, religion, forgiveness and revenge.
Steve Oram should also prove an intriguing choice to carry such a dark and dramatic story. Best known to many audiences for Sightseers, as well as appearances in The End of the F***ing World and DI Ray, Oram takes on the role of a father pushed to the limits by an unimaginable situation.
Shot entirely on location in Thailand, Crushed promises a raw and unflinching thriller that is not afraid to confront uncomfortable subject matter. Alongside its fictional story, the film aims to raise awareness of contemporary issues surrounding child trafficking and animal cruelty.
With its combination of psychological pressure, religious themes and a disturbing central premise, Crushed looks set to be an unsettling addition to the thriller landscape when it arrives in the UK.
Crushed will be released on UK digital on 5 October 2026 through GrimmVision.
