Dust Bunny Review: I’d heard about Dust Bunny back in 2025 when it released internationally, but it never hit Indian theatres. At the time, it just slipped past me. No big buzz here, no easy way to watch it. Fast forward to now: it finally lands on VOD, I hit play, and yeah… this was worth the wait.
My Rating: 3.5/5
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Movie Title | Dust bunny |
| Release Year | 2025 |
| Genre | Horror, Mystery, Psychological Thriller |
| Language | English |
| Cast | Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sheila Atim |
| Runtime | Approx. 1h 46m |
| Overall Tone | Slow-burn, atmospheric, unsettling |
| Availability | Video on Demand (VOD) |
My Experience Watching Dust Bunny
This isn’t a loud movie. It doesn’t rush to impress you. In fact, it almost dares you to lose patience. The story centers on a young girl living quietly in her house. Everything feels normal at first, until she starts suspecting that the man living across from her isn’t just some neighbor. He’s a monster hunter. A guy who kills creatures that most people don’t even believe exist.
Then things take a darker turn. The girl begins to feel that something is under her bed. Not metaphorically. Not emotionally. Literally. A monster. One who wants to kill her.
And here’s where the film really tightens its grip: her parents are gone. Not dead on screen. Just… gone. Nobody believes her. Not the neighbor. Not anyone. Because if a monster is crawling out from under the floor every night, shouldn’t the floor be broken? Shouldn’t there be proof?
But there isn’t. That question, is she imagining this, or is everyone else blind?, runs through the entire movie. And trust me, it keeps poking your brain even when nothing “big” is happening on screen.
Slow Burn, But a Real Payoff
I won’t lie: the first stretch is slow. Almost uncomfortably so. At one point, I genuinely wondered if the 3.5/5 rating it had received was being generous. But then something shifts.
Not a jump scare. Not a big reveal. Just a moment where you realize you’re locked in. From that point onward, every scene matters. You start leaning forward, waiting for answers, waiting for someone, anyone, to finally see what this girl is seeing.
There’s a clear breaking point where curiosity turns into obsession. You’re no longer watching casually. You need to know what’s really going on.
Direction, Cinematography, and Mood
One thing I appreciated immediately: this doesn’t feel like a lazy horror film made to kill time. Every shot feels intentional. Some frames are genuinely beautiful in a haunting way. The house, the hallways, the quiet corners, everything feels slightly “off,” even before the story tells you it should.
The cinematography does a lot of silent storytelling, and that’s where the film quietly wins. It also asks questions early and refuses to answer them right away. What’s real? Who’s lying? Why does everyone dismiss the girl so easily?
And yes, the concept itself is refreshingly different. I’ve seen a lot of monster movies, psychological thrillers, and “is-it-real-or-not” stories—but Dust Bunny doesn’t fully resemble any of them. That uniqueness is one of its strongest cards.
Performances That Carry the Film
The child actor is excellent. Not in a “look how talented this kid is” way, but in a grounded, believable way. You feel her fear, confusion, and frustration.
The monster hunter neighbor is just as strong. There’s restraint in his performance, and that actually makes his disbelief more unsettling. He isn’t cruel, he’s logical. And that logic becomes its own kind of threat. The supporting cast does solid work, too, but these two are clearly the backbone of the film.
Also Read: Netflix’s Seven Dials Review: A Cozy Agatha Christie Mystery That Plays It Safe
The Monster (and the Meaning)
The monster scenes are handled well. They’re not flashy, not award-bait CGI, but they work. They feel real enough to be unsettling, which is all this movie needs. Now here’s the tricky part: the ending.
You will not get clean answers. You might even feel confused. I did. I sat there for a while, replaying certain lines in my head, especially what the monster hunter explains toward the end.
And that’s when it clicked. This Dust Bunny movie wants you to do the thinking. The lack of clarity isn’t a mistake. It’s deliberate. Whether you love that or hate it depends on how much you enjoy films that trust the audience.
Personally? Once I understood what the film was really trying to say, I respected it even more.
The Good & Bad In Dust Bunny
| What Works Really Well | Where It Falls Short |
|---|---|
| Unique, thought-provoking concept | Very slow opening |
| Strong child performance | Some answers are intentionally unclear |
| Excellent atmosphere and visuals | Not for viewers who want straight explanations |
| Engaging mystery that pulls you in | Could’ve used slightly tighter pacing |
| Real payoff if you stay patient | The Ending may frustrate some viewers |
Final Verdict On Dust Bunny
By the time the credits rolled, I was fully on board with this Dust Bunny movie. Yes, it’s slow. Yes, it demands patience. And yes, it doesn’t spoon-feed you anything.
But if you stick with it, Dust Bunny rewards you with a genuinely engaging, unsettling experience that stays with you longer than most modern thrillers. I’d rate it 3.5/5.
If it had picked up the pace just a little earlier, it could’ve gone higher. Still, this feels like a film made with intent, not filler. You can safely watch this with family; there’s nothing exploitative here. It’s currently available in English, and if the Hindi dub lands on Prime Video as expected, it’ll likely find a much bigger audience.
This is one of those movies that doesn’t shout for attention, but if you listen, it has something solid to say. And honestly? I’m glad I finally watched it.