Fantastic Fest 2025 Review: Penance

Director Nik Pelekai’s Penance showcases indie action filmmaking with raw intensity at Fantastic Fest 2025.

The Burnt Ends section at Fantastic Fest has always been a showcase for raw, unfiltered indie passion projects—and Nick Pelekai Penance fits that mold perfectly. A longtime stunt professional making the leap into directing, Pelekai brings with him a crew of seasoned performers who know their craft inside and out. That experience shows from the very first scene, which opens with a jaw-dropping fight sequence that wouldn’t feel out of place in a big-budget franchise film.

At its core, Penance is the story of two brothers, one rendered mute and partially deaf after a brutal attack, who reunite years later to take vengeance on those responsible for their sister’s death. The setup leans into familiar revenge-thriller territory, but what sets the film apart is the sheer physicality of its cast. These are industry veterans staging fights with precision and creativity, and the action consistently delivers the kind of bruising authenticity you only get from professionals who live this work every day.

That said, Penance is very much a work in progress. The cut screened at Fantastic Fest still needs polishing—coloring, sound, and dialogue refinements chief among them. Pelekai himself acknowledged the challenges of sound in particular, a lesson every filmmaker learns when translating vision into execution. The writing also stumbles at times, with moments that could have benefited from tighter structure or sharper character beats.

But here’s the thing: none of that overshadows the heart of the project. Penance radiates the kind of passion and commitment that defines independent filmmaking. You can feel the long days, the scheduling chaos, and the sheer willpower it took to bring this story to the screen. That effort deserves recognition.

As a critic, I have to be honest—Penance lands at 2.5 out of 5 for us at Horror Movies Uncut. But make no mistake: that score reflects both the flaws of a debut feature and the promise of a filmmaker and team worth rooting for. Pelekai and his crew have proven they can stage electrifying action, and with growth as writers and storytellers, there’s every reason to believe their next project will hit even harder.

Penance may not be perfect, but it’s exactly the kind of bold, unpolished indie effort that makes Burnt Ends such an essential part of Fantastic Fest.

2.5 out of 5 from Horror Movies Uncut.