TERROR FILMS RELEASING’S “FEY” (2025) Captures Fear in Perfect Focus
Courtesy of Terror Films Releasing
Terror Films Releasing is taking 2025 by absolute storm. The indie-focused distributor has been stuffing its library with fresh, genuinely exciting horror releases, from eerie original titles to rock-solid sequels like “Hell House LLC: Lineage,” which sent fans buzzing all over again. If the company’s mission is to outdo itself every few weeks, it is succeeding. Their latest addition, the unnerving found-footage thriller “Fey,” continues that hot streak with confidence, precision, and a creeping sense of dread that lingers long after the credits fade.
LIGHTS OFF, CAMERAS ON - LET’S DIVE IN:
“Fey” stars Madeline Doherty (who also wrote and directed the movie), Zoe Bishop, Michael Raleigh, and Sam Howard. The cast (for the small moments they are on screen) brings a grounded authenticity to a story that is already unsettling on its own. The movie centers on Maddy, who has entered the final phase of a trauma study following a deeply scarring incident that still has its hooks in her psyche. As part of the study, Maddy must film her time alone since the event in her childhood home. Her job is to record, reflect, and attempt to reclaim her sense of safety. Unfortunately for her, and very fortunately for us horror fans, that sense of safety evaporates almost immediately as the old feeling of being watched returns. The more she records, the less alone she becomes.
What makes “Fey” shine is how perfectly suited the story is for the found-footage format. Some films use the style as a gimmick. “Fey” uses it as a narrative engine. The choice to ground the entire experience through Maddy’s camera turns every shadow into a threat, every distant sound into a warning, and every frame into an accusation that something is there even when we cannot see it. The tension works because the camera never feels like a prop. It is an extension of Maddy’s unraveling emotional state, a lifeline she desperately holds onto as the walls start to close in again.
Doherty, as Maddy, delivers a performance that sells every crack in her emotional armor. She plays trauma in a way that feels painfully real, not theatrical. When fear hits, it hits like something she has lived with too long. Zoe Bishop, Michael Raleigh, and Sam Howard support the story with grounded, believable performances that keep the world of the film intimate and authentic. In a genre that sometimes sacrifices character work for spectacle, “Fey” builds its terror by relying on strong, lived-in performances. You believe these people, and that makes the horror punch harder.
The writing from Madeline Doherty is remarkable in its restraint. Rather than explaining every detail, the script trusts the audience to fill in the spaces that trauma leaves behind. We get enough pieces to understand Maddy’s fear, but the film wisely avoids spoon-feeding its mythology. That decision pays off because it keeps viewers focused on the emotional reality instead of logistics. The screenplay understands something essential: fear becomes more potent when the unknown is allowed to breathe. Every quiet moment, every lingering shot, and every subtle shift in Maddy’s behavior stacks like bricks toward an outcome we feel but cannot predict.
Courtesy of Terror Films Releasing
Not just is this an amazingly written movie, the directing by Madeline Doherty is equally impressive, balancing documentary-style realism with slow-burn menace that builds scene by scene. The film avoids cheap tricks, quick cuts, or needlessly bombastic scares. Instead, it gives the audience a front-row seat to Maddy’s vulnerability. The tension is not created by loud noises or sudden jolts. It is created by dread—the kind that grows in the pit of your stomach as you start to realize something is truly wrong and getting worse by the minute. Doherty directing understands the power of stillness, of silence, of letting fear creep instead of explode. It is a mature approach that sets “Fey” apart from other entries in the found-footage space.
Props must be given to Terror Films Releasing for putting this movie under their banner. It is a smart, thoughtful piece of horror that aligns perfectly with the company’s current streak of quality releases. They have always been a haven for filmmakers working on the fringes of the genre, but this year seems particularly strong. “Fey” fits seamlessly into their lineup of ambitious, character-driven titles that aim to do more than simply scare. It reflects their talent for spotting films that offer something different, something sharpened by vision rather than budget.
What truly elevates “Fey” is the way it keeps you perched on the edge of your seat, constantly guessing what might happen next. Not many horror films pull off that slow tightening of suspense without showing their cards too early, but this one nails it. Each recorded night brings a shift in Maddy’s environment that is subtle enough to question yet disturbing enough to dread. The progression never feels forced. It feels natural, like creeping paralysis that starts at her feet and slowly climbs its way to her throat. By the time the final moments arrive, you realize you have been clenching your jaw, leaning forward, and gripping the armrest like the experience is happening to you.
Courtesy of Terror Films Releasing
The film’s commitment to authenticity never wavers. The lighting, the framing, the pacing—everything feels like it was captured by someone simply trying to get through the night. That is the magic of well-executed found footage. It traps you in the character’s perspective until you forget that there is a director, a writer, and a crew behind the lens. You are just there, breathing with Maddy, listening for anything that might move in the dark.
“Fey” never overplays its hand. It does not try to reinvent the wheel, nor does it need to. Instead, it presents a compelling and thrilling story through a lens that amplifies every moment, crafting a narrative that is simple in premise yet nerve-shredding in execution. The film proves that found footage, when done well, is not a gimmick but one of the most emotionally effective tools in the horror toolbox. It is a reminder that what we imagine is often far more terrifying than what we see.
By the time the credits roll, “Fey” has done its job and then some. It leaves a mark. It scratches around in your mind long after you stop watching, making you wonder what you would find if you left a camera running while you slept. It is the kind of horror film that sticks with you not because of what it shows, but because of what it suggests.
Courtesy of Terror Films Releasing
“Fey” is a must-see for found-footage fans and anyone who loves horror driven by tension, emotion, and razor-sharp storytelling. Terror Films Releasing added another winner to its 2025 slate with this one, proving again that the company knows how to pick films that leave an impact. You can watch “Fey” right now on the Found TV app, and trust me, you are going to want to experience this one with the lights off.
Whether it’s slashers in the woods, ghosts in the attic, or killers in the cornfield, ILHM Reviews brings you the frightful horror flick recommendations worth watching. Follow us on Instagram, be sure to listen to the the "I Love Horror" podcast and remember that if you’re a true fan of horror, every night can be a FRIGHT NIGHT!
