‘KAISHAKU’ (DWFNY 2026) Trauma, loyalty, and revenge.

Harry Locke IV’s DWFNY 2026 film KAISHAKU follows Iris, a mother who, in financial dire straits, agrees to be a friend’s suicide “spotter.” A high school friend and school counselor to her son, Bridgette, offers to pay Iris handsomely to ensure her attempt is a success. When the money hits her account, a burden seems to be lifted, until she discovers she has failed Bridgette entirely.

 

Writer Mike Gerbino properly explains the title’s disturbing meaning, rooted in samurai honor, tradition, and guilt. This haunting theme attaches itself to Iris as more unsettling moments occur to her and her family. Anything connected to Bridgette’s payment backfires with a supernatural vengeance, but it’s not so cut and dry. The screenplay leans full force into the “You had one job” notion. Heightened by marital distress and putting a child in harm’s way, the tension moves like a freight train. Iris is trapped between guilt and a vengeful spirit. I definitely found my fingernails leaving imprints in my palm.

 

Alyshia Ochse is a lovely foil for Estes’ Iris. Her quiet confidence on screen is genuinely mesmerizing. Stefanie Estes, who was fantastic in another terrifying film, SOFT & QUIET, gives Iris a tangibly relatable performance. As a parent, you will do literally anything to protect your family. The request itself feels impossible, but in mamabear mode, all bets are off. Estes is magnetic. 

 

Cinematographer Matthew Halla delivers black and white memories whose full significance remains enigmatic for the majority of the film. One particular shift in formatting is stunning. The script features multiple surprises. One twist flips the narrative on its head, but that’s only the beginning of a packed final act. KAISHAKU is undeniably disturbing, dealing in unresolved trauma, mental health, loyalty, and revenge. It’s worth the clenched jaw and moral complexities.