The Return Review: The 100's Richard Harmon and Sarah Thompson Star in this Satisfying Thriller

Happy Tuesday! Or, happy VOD movie release day.

A fun flick for supernatural thriller fans drops today, and it stars the multitalented Richard Harmon, a TV Fanatic favorite.

Playing his girlfriend is Sara Thompson, which means that The 100's Murphy and Josephine are getting it on!

As I've said so many times before, the right cast helps sell a movie regardless of budget.

In this case, the cast is minimal, with Harmon, Thompson, and Echo Andersson getting the most screen time.

The story follows Roger, a young man whose father has died.

In the wake of that loss, Roger, his girlfriend, Beth, and best friend, Jordan, return to his childhood home to deal with the aftermath.

Roger's family life is filled with tragedy. His father was the last living member of his immediate family after his younger sister died in childhood and his mother disappeared, never to be seen again.

It's only when he returns home that he discovers everything he knew about his father, his mother's disappearance, and his sister's death might have been in error.

Making matters worse, even his own recollections about his youth have eluded him. Putting it mildly, Roger's rocked to his core in this story, and thankfully, Harmon is up to the task of carrying it off.

The movie was written by Ken Janssens and BJ Verot, and Verot directs.

They're written a well-paced script that builds tension without throwing viewers into the deep end too soon.

When we first meet this trio of friends, they're on a road trip. Roger hasn't shared much about what to expect upon his return, but both Beth and Jordan want to support him.

Roger plans to deal with the estate and find out exactly how his father died. But, well before he makes that discovery, it's apparent that things are not right in his childhood home.

Item topples over unexpectedly, doors slam shut.

When Jordan sleeps in the room formerly occupied by Roger's sister, a room that remains in stasis years later, the essential creep factor even includes a couple of walls of dolls peering back at Jordan as she tries to get comfortable.

The audience is privy to events and sees more of the spectacle than Roger and his friends.

That tempers the fear factor a bit, but Roger discovers the crux of the events unfolding, and even the audience doesn't see what's coming until he figures it out.

How the story unfolds makes it worth the watch even without forcing you to pull the covers over your head.

The Return has a unique path, which effectively mixes genres, swinging adeptly between horror and sci-fi.

The film also manages to send a message. Without spoiling anything, it relays how mistakes made in an instant can change your world forever.

It's a unique movie with a very satisfying ending.

It's the first time in a long while that cracking the door open a little longer wouldn't have been a bad idea.

If you are looking for something with a cast you'll enjoy and a story worth watching, you should give The Return a shot.

And if you decide to give it a watch, please return to share your thoughts on it.

The Return drops on VOD Tuesday, August 10.

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.