"Compliance" Film Review

Compliance

Rating: 4.5/5

By: Nathaniel Simpson

SCREENED AT FANTASTIC FEST 2026

    We are constantly being watched. Whether from our phones to our laptops and even CTV footage and flock cameras, it begs the question of how much privacy we truly have in the world and how can footage of us be used for nefarious purposes. Kyle Mangione-Smith's fantastic found-footage film, titled Compliance, does an excellent job of painting that picture for the audience of how we all could truly be at danger. Not only is this film terrifying in the sense of its real-world implications, but Mangione-Smith does a great job of crafting this story and these characters, which is complete with fantastic performances and innovative cinematography. 

    The film is centered around Megan Wilcox's Sam, a young PR representative for UVisit, a fictionalized company that serves the same functions as a company like AirBNB. When Sarah (Lindsey Normington) is sexually assaulted while staying at a UVisit property, Sam is tasked with going and checking on Sarah, making sure she has received everything she needs before having her sign an NDA to protect their company. When Sarah refuses and Sam's life is flipped upside down, she starts to go down a rabbit-hole that she never expected to go down, one that can seriously risk her life. 

    When this film started, I thought it was a great dramatization of an event that possibly occurs every day around the world. I knew nothing going into this film, so I did think Mangione-Smith was going to craft a film about the aftermaths of a rape through the point of views of both the survivor and the PR representative. However, this movie took a major turn I was not expecting, and Mangione-Smith throws us on a wild ride that I don't think we, as the viewer, will ever forget. Mangione-Smith does a great job of setting up this story, and it allows him to explore this more complex, evil side of this story that I don't think we have ever seen before. 

    Mangione-Smith is not just commenting on how rape survivors are treated in this world of lawsuits and NDAS, but also showing the viewer how dangerous and scary the dark web and a lack of privacy truly is. Our main character is constantly targeted throughout this movie in multiple ways, and it makes the viewer want to check their own house for cameras and anything else that someone has planted. Mangione-Smith does a brilliant job of striking fear and dread into the heart of the viewer, something every horror director should strive for with their film. While he is successful here in his feature directorial debut, I do think there are times, however, when the movie goes off the rails just a tad and I think it would have helped keep the viewer's attention if he reigned in some of the film at times. 

    With that being said, I think the cinematography here is wonderful and awe-inspiring. We have seen numerous found-footage films in the past, but I adore the way he uses everyday cameras and resources to tell this story. From Tesla cams to Photo Booth on a MacBook, Mangione-Smith utilizes various different cameras and devices to tell this story in numerous ways. We see everything and in so many different settings due to this innovative way of visual storytelling. I absolutely adore and respect Mangione-Smith's style and ideas he pours into this film, and I think it is perhaps one of the most visually-striking films I have seen at Fantastic Fest this year. 

    At the same time, I don't know how well this movie would have worked if Wilcox wasn't able to pull off playing this role as well as she did. She is excellent in every single scene, and she does a great job of converting the fear and confusing she is feeling in every single scene. As the viewer, we are thrown on this rollercoaster ride right alongside her, and we are working with her to put together this puzzle of what is going on and why she is being targeted. She does a fantastic job of catering her performance to the viewer to really draw us in and keep us constantly guessing. Normington is just as great in her performance of Sarah, giving us this mysterious and downright disturbing performance that I'm sure will sit and linger with a lot of audiences. Not going to say anything here to not spoil the movie, but Charlie Wood is great at playing a major asshole. 

    Compliance was a big surprise for me out of Fantastic Fest. This movie that I had no prior knowledge of easily became one of my favorites of the Festival, and one that I think will work well with a lot of audiences. I think Mangione-Smith does a fantastic job at making his name known in this world of indie cinema, and I think he has a long and fruitful career ahead of him. This is just the first example of what he is capable of.