KICK ON

Eden and her three best friends spend their nights drinking, dancing, getting high, and breaking into fights across Melbourne's club scene. They are kicked out of a dance club, and after a quick pit stop for a chicken souvlaki wrap and a few energy drinks, they set out in search of one last fix to keep the party going. Their night leads them to the extravagant drug lair of Roman, casually known to his friends as Ray, the volcanic son of a sadistic mobster.

What begins as an awkward afterparty, fueled by a mountain of drugs, bad decisions, and Ray's increasingly reckless behavior, quickly spirals into a violent situation far beyond the group's casual bar fights. Trapped inside the apartment, Eden and her friends must fight for their lives to escape while paranoia, betrayal, and brutal violence continue to escalate between Ray and his gang.

As a fan of Irish goodbyes, a bad party you can't escape from is one of my worst nightmares. KICK ON is far from your typical D.A.R.E. after-school special, delivering a drug-fueled crime thriller with enough gore, impalings, and relentless mayhem to rival the nastiest slashers. Director Nick Kozakis continues to cement himself as an original voice in the Australian Horror New Wave, blending razor-sharp pacing and an infectious sense of fun that never undercuts the brutality of the film. KICK ON shows how Australian genre cinema remains as wild, inventive, and unapologetic as ever. Fantastic Fest is thrilled to host the US Premiere of KICK ON. So, grab your mates; this is one party you won't want to miss. (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ)