Drive Director’s New Sci-Fi Thriller With Sophie Thatcher Leaves Critics Cold

Let’s be honest, Nicolas Winding Refn’s new film was always going to attract a bit of noise. The bloke behind 'Drive' (yes, the one with Gosling in the satin jacket) is back at it, this time with a sci-fi thriller called 'Her Private Hell'. He’s roped in Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Kristine Froseth, and Havana Rose Liu for this mysterious affair set in a hotel with a serial killer lurking about. Sounds promising, right? Shame the critics are in a mood.

Who’s Who and What’s the Premise?

• Sophie Thatcher plays Elle
• Charles Melton is Private K
• Kristine Froseth takes the role of Hunter
• Havana Rose Liu steps in as Dominique

The lot of them find themselves in a hotel, while tensions rise over the presence of a serial killer somewhere not-too-far-off. Classic Refn: a dash of menace, neon-soaked vibes, and characters with more restraint than actual dialogue.

Premiere & Release Dates

'Her Private Hell' debuted at Cannes on 18 May 2026—which, let’s be real, is not always the friendliest crowd for weird genre work. It lands in the US cinemas on 24 July 2026.

The Not-So-Glowing Reviews

If you’re wondering whether critics have showered this one with praise, you might want to reset your expectations. Early reviews have been—how shall I put this—less than generous.

Here’s how things are shaping up:

'There’s only so unkind one can be to a film like Her Private Hell. It is, quite clearly, deeply personal to its creator, but in a way that a convoluted dream might be personal to someone explaining it badly before they’ve had a cup of coffee.' – Siddhant Adlakha, Decider

Owen Gleiberman over at Variety had his own take: the whole thing 'coheres in Refn’s mind, because he wouldn’t have made it otherwise. But he has become seriously deluded about what an audience wants.'

Therese Lacson from Collider tried to be diplomatic, suggesting the film starts off as a 'sci-fi lovers' dream' that gets the cyberpunk aesthetic spot-on, only to ultimately reveal 'a hollow core' beneath all that neon slickness.

There’s a glimmer of support, though. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw came out on the other side, calling the film a 'slow dervish swirl of hypnotic strangeness'. Not the sort of review that screams mainstream crowdpleaser, but hey, someone’s got to stick up for the offbeat stuff.

That Rotten Tomatoes Score

At the time I’m writing this, 'Her Private Hell' clocks in at a 43% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Yeah—ouch. This could move a bit as more reviews roll in, especially once people outside festivals get a look, but I wouldn’t bank on a total rehabilitation before the US release. Still, audiences have surprised us before at the box office, so who knows what’ll happen once it escapes the festival bubble.