The Carmilla Movie (2017)

What makes The Carmilla Movie special is how effortlessly it treats a queer love story as the beating heart of a supernatural romp—romantic, funny, and sincere without ever begging for approval. It drops Laura and Carmilla into an appealingly lived-in domestic groove, then lets the creeping weirdness tighten around them in a way that’s spooky enough to be fun while still making room for banter, tenderness, and real emotional stakes. The ensemble feels like a chosen family you actually want to hang out with, and the film’s inclusive world-building—especially its comfort with queer and non-binary identities—comes across as natural, not performative. If you’re looking for hard-edged horror, this is lighter and more fan-forward, but if you want a charming genre cocktail with a couple worth rooting for, it’s an easy yes.

The Carmilla Movie is clearly trying to give fans a cozy “where are they now?” sequel with a supernatural mystery, some campy humor, and a sincere romance at the center. The problem is it plays like an extra-long episode made for people who already know the web series inside out, so newcomers may feel dumped into lore, in-jokes, and character dynamics the film doesn’t bother reintroducing. The horror elements are more spooky-fun than genuinely scary, and the plot can get busy and murky when it tries to raise the stakes. If you’re here primarily for Laura and Carmilla’s chemistry and you already love this universe, you’ll likely have a good time; if you want a clean, standalone horror-comedy with clear rules and pacing, this probably isn’t it.