GRIM Review: Brett Wagner Delivers Trailer Park Justice in Sean Haitz's Outlaw Horror Short
Grindhouse brutality, biker-gang absurdity, and a little Tarantino attitude collide in this bloody, darkly funny horror short.
MILD SPOILERS AHEAD: This review discusses plot details and select scenes from GRIM. You can watch the complete short film at the bottom of this article.
By Seth Metoyer | More Horror
Some movies have a particular kind of personality that immediately reminds me why I love independent horror. They're filthy, outrageous, occasionally ridiculous, and populated by characters who seem like they'd be perfectly comfortable starting a bar fight over absolutely nothing. Sean Haitz's GRIM is one of those films, and I had a pretty damn good time with it.
Starring Brett Wagner, whose credits include Sons of Anarchy, The Crazies, and an appearance as Leatherface in the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, GRIM is a gritty, violent, and surprisingly funny outlaw horror short with a healthy appreciation for old-school exploitation cinema.
It has the kind of grimy personality that immediately brought several films to mind, ranging from Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects to Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof. Strangely enough, I also caught myself thinking about the biker gang antics from Clint Eastwood's Every Which Way But Loose. Somehow, all those influences make sense when you're watching this thing. Stick with me here.
The film opens with a particularly gruesome crime scene and a couple of investigators trying to make sense of the carnage. There's already a darkly comic streak running through the dialogue, with one officer confidently offering observations that seem almost hilariously obvious. It's an entertaining introduction to the film's twisted sense of humor, and we soon discover the kind of trouble that led to the bloody aftermath.
A True American Outlaw Hero
At the center of the chaos is Grim, played with considerable attitude by Wagner. Grim is a larger-than-life character who appears to live according to his own rather questionable set of rules. After refusing to take a dive in a fight, he finds himself in trouble with some decidedly unpleasant people who expected to make money from the arrangement. Their solution involves kidnapping his girlfriend Bella (Clair Brauer) and attempting to use her as leverage.
Grim's initial reaction to the kidnapping is hilariously indifferent, suggesting his relationship with Bella might be just as dysfunctional as everything else in his life. Naturally, things get considerably more violent as he tracks down the people responsible.
Wagner is terrific in the role. He has the kind of physical presence that makes Grim immediately believable as somebody capable of causing tremendous damage, and his comedic timing gives the character an entertaining edge. I particularly enjoyed the way he casually dismisses threats and insults people who clearly picked the wrong guy to mess with.
This is where some of those cinematic comparisons started forming in my head. There's a lot of Rob Zombie's affection for degenerates and colorful lowlifes here, particularly the atmosphere of The Devil's Rejects. The dialogue and roughneck attitude also occasionally reminded me of Tarantino's Death Proof, especially the filmmaker's fondness for bringing larger-than-life personalities together in a world of vintage Americana, bad behavior, and sudden violence.
Then there's that unexpected Every Which Way But Loose connection. Remember the Black Widows biker gang? Those guys always seemed to exist somewhere between legitimate menace and complete buffoonery. There's a similar energy running through the criminals in GRIM, where the intimidation and stupidity occasionally become inseparable.
Grim himself might be one of the more entertaining examples of a true American white-trash, trailer-park antihero I've seen recently. I mean that affectionately. He's vulgar, violent, politically incorrect, and remarkably comfortable with who he is. There's something wonderfully refreshing about a character who seems to have abandoned any interest in appearing respectable.
Bruise Tube, Weird Al and Some Seriously Nasty Gore
One of the things I appreciated most about GRIM was how naturally the comedy fits into the violence. Haitz clearly enjoys the absurdity of these characters, and the performances lean into that sensibility.
The "Bruise Tube" bit gave me a laugh, and there's a particularly funny exchange involving an injured criminal complaining about his arm while Grim continues making his situation considerably worse. A casual "My arm hurts" delivery cracked me up, especially considering the circumstances.
There's also a Weird Al joke that arrives during another tense encounter, and it works precisely because the characters seem completely incapable of taking their own dangerous circumstances seriously.
The humor gets pretty juvenile at times, which fits the material perfectly. These characters exist in a world where insults, threats, ridiculous conversations, and spectacular violence can all unfold within a few seconds of each other.
And speaking of violence, the practical effects are brutal.
There's some genuinely nasty gore here, particularly during the film's more aggressive confrontations. I appreciate filmmakers who understand the visceral appeal of practical effects, and GRIM delivers the kind of gruesome material that gives exploitation horror its wonderfully disgusting reputation.
Andrea Davoren handled the special effects, with effects props by Cellar Creations and assistance from Isabella Santin. Brian Klewin contributed visual effects. For such a compact production, the team delivers some impressively memorable carnage.
The acting across the board also deserves credit. Even the supporting characters with limited screen time bring something distinctive to the proceedings. The whole ensemble understands the strange little universe Haitz has created, and that consistency helps sell some of the more outrageous material.
Two Days in the Desert and Plenty of Grindhouse Attitude
What makes the finished product especially impressive is the production schedule. According to Haitz, the entire short came together during just two days of filming in Amboy and Morongo Valley, California.
The director shared some additional background with More Horror:
"GRIM is a raunchy, down-and-dirty film made on a shoestring budget. Brett Wagner—whose credits include Sons of Anarchy, The Crazies and playing Leatherface in the Kemper kill in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)—is a force of nature. Our small crew shot it in just two days in Amboy and Morongo Valley. I directed, shot, colored and edited, with Michael Trebilcock's score bringing that '70s and '80s vibe inspired by 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon. It's one of four connected shorts centered around Kharver, played by Bill Moseley, with the final installment coming soon."
Those influences explain a lot about the film's personality. The action-comedy sensibility of 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon certainly comes through, particularly in the way the characters trade insults and absurd observations while surrounded by increasingly dangerous situations.
I also appreciate how Haitz incorporates the desert environment into the film. There's something about those rugged Southern California landscapes that naturally lends itself to stories about outsiders, criminals, and people who seem to operate several miles outside the boundaries of civilized society.
The soundtrack adds another layer to that atmosphere. The opening rock track, "Livin With Myself" by Richard Haitz, immediately establishes the film's attitude. Michael Trebilcock's score reinforces the retro action-movie sensibility, while the closing country-rock song, "Blown in the Wind" by Rockin' Rick Haitz, provides a fitting musical send-off.
I genuinely dug both the opening and closing tunes. They give the film a distinctive identity and complement the outlaw atmosphere running throughout.
Who the Hell Is Kharver?
One of the more intriguing details arrives near the end of the film, when Grim makes a reference to somebody named Kharver.
After the violence settles down, Grim remarks, "If Kharver could see me now," suggesting there's some existing history between the two characters. Shortly afterward, he receives a phone call from Kharver and agrees to help him, explaining that he still owes the man his life.
Bella's reaction makes the exchange even more interesting. She clearly knows who Kharver is, finds him unsettling, and seems less than thrilled about Grim getting involved with him again.
It turns out that Kharver is part of a larger interconnected horror universe that Haitz has been developing.
The character, portrayed by horror veteran Bill Moseley, originally appeared in Haitz's Big Top Evil and connects several of the filmmaker's subsequent projects. Although Moseley doesn't appear onscreen in GRIM, the conversation near the end establishes Grim's relationship with Kharver and hints at unfinished business between them.
Haitz confirms that GRIM is one of four connected short films, with the final installment on the way.
I actually like this approach. The story works as its own self-contained piece of outlaw horror, while the brief reference to Kharver suggests a larger world beyond what we're watching. Grim clearly has some history with the character, and the implication that Kharver once saved his life raises a few interesting questions.
Considering Moseley's history with films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Devil's Rejects, I'm particularly interested in seeing how these characters eventually come together.
Final Thoughts: Long Live Grim
GRIM is a bloody, funny, wonderfully trashy slice of independent horror that embraces its exploitation roots. Brett Wagner carries the film with an imposing performance and some great comedic moments, while Sean Haitz keeps the action moving with an energetic combination of violence, dark humor, and outrageous characters.
The film has a personality all its own, shaped by those familiar elements of outlaw cinema that I enjoy so much. It's easy to see the appreciation for Rob Zombie's grimy Americana, Tarantino's affection for colorful lowlifes, and the irreverent attitude of older action comedies. Haitz filters those sensibilities through his own particular brand of grindhouse horror.
What I enjoyed most was the unapologetic commitment to the material. The filmmakers clearly know exactly what kind of movie they're making, and everybody involved seems to be having a blast. There's some terrific practical gore, genuinely funny dialogue, and just enough backstory to make me curious about where Grim and Kharver's relationship is heading next.
The final scenes also deliver some memorable domestic dysfunction, with Grim and Bella arguing in a manner that makes their relationship seem every bit as dangerous as the criminals they've just encountered. There's even a hilarious little exchange in which Grim makes an important distinction between being a murderer, a scumbag, and something considerably less flattering.
I laughed.
If you enjoy your horror with a healthy dose of sleaze, practical violence, and trailer-park attitude, GRIM is worth checking out. I'm especially curious to see how Haitz brings these interconnected stories together in the upcoming installment.
And after witnessing some of the carnage in this one, I think Grim offers a valuable lesson about the dangers of overindulgence.
Too much Taco Tuesday isn't good for ya.
GRIM (2026)
Written and directed by Sean Haitz
Starring Brett Wagner, Clair Brauer, Alex Kravitz, David Vega, Aaron Prager, and Thomas Sutherland, with additional performances by Marco Tazioli, Robert Dunne, Honey Davenport, Emiliano Valenzuela, Hayden Roach, and Liam Carroll.
Produced by Happy Fright Films LLC.
Cinematography and editing by Sean Haitz. Original score by Michael Trebilcock. Special effects by Andrea Davoren, with effects props by Cellar Creations.
Content Advisory: Intended for mature audiences. Contains graphic violence, gore, strong language, sexual humor, and adult themes.
Watch GRIM (2026) | Full Horror Short Film
Experience Sean Haitz's gritty outlaw horror short starring Brett Wagner. Contains graphic violence, strong language, and mature content.
