"No Tears in Hell" (Caissie, 2025) - Review

No Tears in Hell Lacks the Tension it Promises

A lot more could have been explored in the movie, but it is a good starting point for this story to be explored further if viewers are intrigued.

Written by Lara Rosales

No Tears in Hell tells the story of a cannibalistic serial killer who receives the help of his mother to find victims and clean up his mess. Based on true events, the movie tries to introduce the story to the audience by showcasing some of the murders, how the killer’s mom was involved, and what happened to bring him down. However, the tension the movie promises is not there by the end of the film.

The kind of drama and tension one expects from a true crime or movies based on true stories never makes it to the screen. The intention is there, but it doesn’t transform into what one would expect. While it’s clear that the writers (Michael Caissie and Alexander Nistratov) wanted to showcase the gruesome story of this killer, the details aren’t enough to make viewers want to keep watching. The story is quite evident from the beginning: mom helps son find victims, son kills victims, mom and son eat victims, and mom and son get caught. Nothing is surprising in the retelling of this narrative.

The truth is that by the end of the film, viewers are still waiting for it to begin. The rhythm is too slow for the kind of movie we’re watching. None of the characters are explored to their fullest potential. And the storyline in which one of the townfolks suspects what is going on falls short. There is no depth in and suddenly the guy is dead.

Nevertheless, there are three things the movie gets right. The first one is making the murders feel and look as horrific as they were. Every murder Alex (Luke Baines) commits is extremely graphic. If the visuals of blood and limbs lying around aren’t enough to make you feel sick, the sounds of the bodies being cut will absolutely push you over the edge. 

The second detail that is worth highlighting is the relationship between Alex and his mother (Gwen Van Dam). The film makes it clear from the beginning that the mother is in on the killings and willing to do whatever it takes to protect her son. However, as the movie goes on and we see flashbacks of his childhood, we understand Alex is the way he is because of his mother. While she wasn’t able to protect him from the abuse of an older man, she taught him how to get revenge by killing him. Alex’s destiny is set in stone by his own mother.

She is the one who encourages him to keep killing by telling him the people he kills are nobodies. But the truth is that encouragement started when he was young, and she would show him photos of crime scenes. Maybe that is why she turns herself in to the police when they come to the apartment. Deep down, she knew Alex was a killer because of her.

The last remarkable detail is Baines’s performance. From the very first scene in which we meet him, we know he is not to be trusted. Even if people tune into the movie without knowing the real story, they will immediately know not to trust Alex. There is something in his facial expressions and the tone of his voice that waves the red flags in our faces and makes the bells go off. He is an impeccable choice for the role, giving life to the movie that might not be there with another actor.

While No Tears in Hell lacks the tension it promises, it leaves us wondering if the last victim was changing something in Alex. Was it possible that in his very sick mind, he saw her differently? There is clearly something there because he keeps her longer than the rest of the victims and teaches her about the killing and dismembering of bodies. However, the bond with the mother is still stronger, and when the victim teases with killing his mom, Alex is done with her.

A lot more could have been explored in the movie, but it is a good starting point for this story to be explored further if viewers are intrigued.