In 2025, Kai Edmund Bogatzki (Scars of Xavier) writes and directs The Behemoth (2025), an independent splatter horror film that premiered worldwide at the Hard:Line Film Festival in Germany.
Drawing on Lovecraftian mythology, Kai Edmund Bogatzki brings to the screen a story dripping with violence and blood, driven by a cult determined to bring an ancient evil back to life.
Through ruthless ceremonies, from the very first minutes The Behemoth plunges the viewer into a brutal setting, where members of a cult ravage a woman from the inside, using a fetus, in search of a body for their god. What follows is a long splatter sequence featuring the use of daggers for the first of the rituals, showcasing the copious and impressive practical effects (by Philipp Rathgeber), the beating heart of this horror film.
Subsequently, the story unfolds in a linear way (although at times weighed down by the couple's heavy dialogue), with the protagonists Rebecca (Sara Dawes) and Ryan (Ryan Wichert) taking refuge in an isolated mountain cabin, where they are welcomed by the young owner Christine (Beatrice Fletcher).
However, the “Servants of Blood”, a cult long forgotten, roam the area and abduct Christine for an apocalyptic ritual.
Rebecca, torn between her love for her partner and her growing terror, soon discovers that she and Ryan are not merely witnesses to that horror but essential pieces in the cult's design.
Setting aside a few forced moments and the monotony of some sequences, The Behemoth manages to surprise not only with its large amount of splatter but also with its story development, which leaves no room for the usual clichés.
Through original shortcuts, Kai Edmund Bogatzki prepares the viewer for a blasphemous ceremony that brings pain and death in its wake.
The second and final ritual is a visual delight in which we witness the resurrection of Behemoth and all the evil that follows.
Within this demonic and almost apocalyptic dimension, welcome nods to Evil Dead (2013) by Fede Álvarez can be spotted, including a flight through the woods and the use of a chainsaw.
Kai Edmund Bogatzki crafts a solid horror film, rich in twists and relying on practical effects to satisfy splatter fans.
Despite some limitations, The Behemoth it ranks among the best independent films of recent years, a good example of cult-themed horror and blasphemous ceremonies accompanied by a remarkable display of blood.
The screenplay of The Behemoth is by Kai Edmund Bogatzki, Rapsodies and Orso Vesperini, while the cast includes Beatrice Fletcher, Ryan Wichert, Daniele Rizzo, Johnny Vivash and Max Evans.
The Behemoth is scheduled for release in 2026.
