Since the release of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey in 2023, there has been a growing trend of beloved childhood characters being reshaped into horror villains once the rights to these IPs enter the public domain. Now, thanks to director Steven LaMorte, Screamboat sees Disney's iconic Steamboat Willie “reimagined” as a ruthless killer and the stuff of nightmares.

Like most slasher films, the premise is pretty straightforward: a late-night boat ride in New York City becomes a struggle for survival when a seemingly harmless mouse transforms into a dangerous monster, killing passengers off one by one.

This film, believe it or not, does initially show some potential in its outlandish premise. On multiple occasions, it sets up attempts at self-referential jokes that both nod and poke fun at Disney properties. Due to copyright reasons, these references aren't verbally stated in the film, but they are made more than apparent once they are noticed. For example, a group of drunk women celebrating a birthday may seem like regular slasher fodder at first glance, but it becomes obvious very quickly due to their outfits that each one is dressed like a famous Disney princess.

If the film had chosen to go somewhere with this setup, then the joke might have been worthwhile, but unfortunately, it doesn't go any further than a surface-level visual nod. This is where Screamboat falls incredibly short with its comedy as a whole. Any possible gags it establishes are either dropped entirely, result in an underwhelming punchline or focus too heavily on crass toilet humour. All it needed to do was commit to some of the jokes it tries to execute; this would, in turn, add a lot more to this already paper-thin idea.

So if the comedy is stale, then surely the kills are satisfying, right?

The bloody escapades of the mutated Steamboat Willie are possibly the film's only saving grace, and even then, it's only enjoyable up to a certain point. The kills are as over the top and gory as one would expect from a film like this, with a couple of deaths, in particular, being so excessive and drawn out that you'll laugh because of the sheer absurdity on screen. The gore rightfully intensifies as the film goes on and is possibly one of the only saving graces Screamboat has, as it delivers a fair amount of variety in the kills displayed, ranging from a simple hit on the head to some rather messy bloodbaths.

The film also doesn't do much in the way of getting the audience to care about the passengers onboard the boat either. A lot of them fit genre stereotypes without going any deeper than that, and even the main group of survivors aren't memorable in any meaningful way. They are there just to be killed off, and that's it. These issues come down to the writing, which is as painful as it comes, and the performances that are serviceable for their respected roles but not much else.

The only standout as far as performances are concerned is David Howard Thornton as the murderous mouse. He adds a gleeful sense of menace to the little creature, making him pretty entertaining to watch. Thornton isn't playing up to the role as much as he does with Art the Clown in the Terrfier films, but he is still trying his best to inject as much sadistic joy as he can from what is usually a harmless character.

Screamboat has very little going for it other than a deranged performance from David Howard Thornton and some insanely graphic kills. Everything else on offer here is pretty forgettable in the long run. The characters are all bland and one-dimensional, the presentation is generally lacklustre, and the humour never lives up to the bizarre nature of the film's concept. No film is ever necessary, but this one in particular really does struggle to justify its existence.

Screamboat is in UK cinemas from 4th April and on digital platforms from 2nd May.