Director Christopher Landon is back with his latest feature, Drop, now on physical and digital. The story follows a therapist named Violet (Meghann Fahy), who starts dating again after her abusive husband’s death. Deciding to get back out there, Violet leaves her young son Toby (Jacob Robinson) at home with her sister, Jen (Violett Beane), and goes on a date. As she arrives at a high-rise restaurant to meet a photographer named Henry (Brendon Sklenar), whom she met through an online dating app, things seem too good to be true. That is, until Violet begins to receive mysterious and strange texts on her phone. As the messages become more sinister, Violet’s “perfect” night goes in some surprising directions. Is her date not who he claims to be? Or is there something more sinister at play?
If you’re interested in learning about Drop in a spoiler-free capacity, head over to EoM Contributor Mallory Moore’s initial theatrical release review.
L-R: Brandon Sklenar as Henry and Meghann Fahy as Violet n DROP, directed by Christopher Landon. Photo Credit: Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
In the case of Drop, the mystery proves itself entirely effective. Landon (director of the Happy Death Day films) knows how to have fun in the thriller genre. Those previous films helped play with the conventions, delivering something unique. In Drop, Landon goes for something more Hitchcockian. His balance of both humor and “horror” (just to note, nothing in this film is particularly scary) works perfectly well. The mystery of who is targeting Violet unfurls interestingly, keeping the audience guessing. The problem arises once the mystery unfolds.
There’s a self-seriousness on display in Drop’s story that never quite sticks the landing. The “why” behind the digital torment Violet faces feels like something out of a bad Law & Order episode. Such a simplistic and silly third act proves incredibly disappointing for two key factors. The buildup in the story is effective with an air of unpredictability. As Violet continues to get these messages, it puts her on edge. Such a sensation is familiar to the audience, making the mystery all the more engaging.
L-R: Henry (Brandon Sklenar) and Matt (Jeffrey Self) in DROP, directed by Christopher Landon. Photo Credit: Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Both Sklenar (It Ends with Us) and Fahy (Your Monster; The White Lotus) deliver swoon-worthy charm together. Both are attractive people, designed to get together in romantic stories. The characters aren’t novel, or necessarily deep, but there’s something that makes this different. Each actor has a striking look that conveys the character’s instant attraction. Such beauty is almost transfixing, making audiences feel instantaneously on board with these people. The results of which make audiences care about them and their ability to make it through the night. Even if they aren’t the most well-defined characters, both actors (especially Fahy) understand the assignment. For some, that could be more than enough to compensate for a silly third act. Others could find the movie a bit of a bore in comparison.
Meghann Fahy as Violet in DROP, directed by Christopher Landon. Photo Credit: Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
At its core, Drop succeeds in its ambitions of a fun and trashy thriller. The film acknowledges its ridiculousness and attempts to embrace its silliness. For the most part, it succeeds, even with a screenplay that feels tonally inconsistent. With wacky technological hijinks, the film also attempts to deal with heavy themes of domestic abuse. Both ideas are admirable, but they don’t gel effectively, even with the commitment from Fahy, who effectively balances both the silly and sincere moments. Without her performance and effective chemistry with Sklenar, Drop wouldn’t be half the movie that it is.
Being that this is a review of Drop’s Blu-ray release, one question remains — is the film worth the purchase? Its crisp look and sound design certainly help add to the tension in this Blu-ray transfer. Such tension helps to create a more visceral thriller experience. However, more discerning collectors may inquire about special features. In this Blu-ray release, Drop contains three separate bonus features, clocking in at a total of 11 minutes. The film also includes a feature commentary with Landon, discussing the film’s technical prowess. All of these featurettes are enjoyable, but their limited runtimes could leave many wanting more.
L-R: Benjamin Pelletier as Masked Man and Violett Beane as Jen in DROP, directed by Christopher Landon. Photo Credit: Universal Pictures. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Drop is a very entertaining and very ridiculous thriller. The film knows how to build a mystery with engaging performances, but doesn’t stick the landing. It’s certainly not a film that I could’ve recommended folks pay money for in theaters, but in this home release, the finished package is an entertaining one. The film itself certainly isn’t memorable, but it proves a diverting evening’s watch. It’s certainly not something I could recommend purchasing at full price, but around Black Friday, Drop could prove a perfect (and cheap) purchase.
Drop Special Features:
- A Recipe For Thrills: Making Drop – Join the cast and crew of Drop as they sort through the ingredients of this date gone wrong.
- A Palate For Panic – Take a seat and devour the details that went into creating Palate, a film set that doubles as a fully operational restaurant.
- Killer Chemistry – Join Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar as they discuss their characters’ first date and how they managed to keep Violet and Henry grounded throughout the escalation of events.
- Feature Commentary with director Christopher Landon
Available on digital April 29th, 2025.
Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD June 10th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Universal Pictures Drop website.
Final Score: 3 out of 5.
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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