Nerdly » HorRHIFFic 2025: ‘Horror-Scopes Volume 3: Dark Zodiac’ Review

05th Mar2025

HorRHIFFic 2025: ‘Horror-Scopes Volume 3: Dark Zodiac’ Review

by Phil Wheat

Stars: James Wren, Annabelle Rich, Mia Gill, Liam Prince Donnelly, Eve Oliver, Judith Haley-Lindwall, Rhydian Edbow, Abigail Hunt, Dani Thompson, Abayomi Oniyde, Nikolas Savvides, Robyn Adams, Ryan Haughey, Eliza Leonard, William Marshall, Ramanpreet Brar | Directed by MJ Dixon, Davin Jeayes, Tony Sands, Maria Lee Metheringham, Philip Rogers, Dani Thompson, Luna Wold, Richard Fish, Anna Dixon, Martin W Payne, Richard Elson, Andre Harrison

Horror-Scopes Volume 3: Dark Zodiac is the second in a series of annual anthology collections from independent film studio Mycho (Slasher House, Pandamonium, Cleaver), which brings together multiple indie horror talents to tell twelve terrifying tales of, this time around, “dark zodiac” based horoscopes, encountering fate’s dark side: misfortune, fear, and terror.

First up on the zodiac is Aries and the tale is Oppressor: The Warlord, which is a series of talking heads following a number of doctors trying to cure a virus (think the 2020 pandemic) but each failing, and dying, when they try the vaccine on themselves. The sting in the tale? One of the doctors realises they can weaponise the vaccine and make a fortune. However, before he can the doc is killed by his own hubris! This first short is literally that, short. It doesn’t outstay its welcome but manages to get its point across succinctly. And you can’t help but laugh in its closing moments.

Taurus, and the story Fallen: The Angel is up next. Starring Annabelle Rich, who’s had a solid number of appearances in British horror this year, even though it’s only a couple of months into 2025! The story is, to put it frankly, harrowing. Dealing with child abuse not only as it happens but also the aftermath, the psychological effects it has on its victims who, in this case, tries to break the cycle of abuse – but with terrifying results. This one is NOT for those easily triggered.

Segment three is Serpent: The Viper, which represents Gemini, in a short that sees Fiona having trouble with her boyfriend – issues with his close relationship with his family and the fact she thinks he’s gaslighting her all the time! We see their relationship break down before our eyes, with Fiona seemingly pushing her boyfriend’s buttons to get a rise out of him and her boyfriend pulling away. The jealousy Fiona has towards her boyfriend finally explodes in an act of violence that sees the wrong person get the blame… Another powerful short, this time dealing with domestic abuse, both mental and physical that makes for an uncomfortable watch

Cancer is represented by the short Scarab: The Beetle, from Mycho’s own Anna Dixon and the star of this short, Eve Oliver (from Mycho’s Thorn franchise). Opening with a 999 call, the story quickly jumps back 12 hours to show the audience just how we got there. It seems our protagonist, holed up in a hotel room, has a little issue with a beetle – the more she tries to kill it the more she actually injures herself – a corkscrew to the hand, a book to the face, until eventually… well you can probably guess! There’s nothing much to this short beyond seeing the almost slapstick-esque way the unnamed woman injures herself!

Time for the fifth short and it’s Leo’s turn with Widow: The Spider – probably one of the most ambitious shorts in this anthology, at least in terms of visual style. The segment opens on an old lady carrying an urn across what looks to be moorland, as a conversation plays out between the woman and the solicitor dealing with the dead person’s estate – and estate left to the old woman, an estate she refuses. From the get-go there’s something not quite right about this dear old lady, and it’s soon clear the young solicitor is in trouble… Let’s just say there’s a reason this short is called Widow: The Spider. Predictable as it is, this short is still a hell of a lot of fun, keeping the audience on tenterhooks just waiting for the reveal, the horror at the heart of the story. And when it comes, well I couldn’t help but think of that opening segment of Kiko Prada’s Halloween Tales. Great minds think alike eh?

Halfway through and it’s time for Virgo to take centre stage with Siren: The Temptress. Mika, a weary photographer, faces a nightmarish ordeal after her employer, Thomas, brings some strange props into the studio where they are working at. When one of the props breaks it unleashes the titular siren… Thomas immediately meets a gruesome end, leaving Mika alone to confront the monster, a reflection of herself and her traumas – a battle that, while seemingly physical is, for Mika more psychological. Sometimes, just sometimes, you come across a short which has a great idea but the execution is lacking, and that’s the case here. Not lacking of talent, filmmaking, storytelling but lacking in time. This is one of those shorts that could’ve done with more time to fill more backstory – it’s clear that there are motivations unmentioned in this story but to flesh those out, to develop the character of Mika with some more time, would’ve done wonders for this one.

Short number seven is left to Libra and the short Hunger: The Locust, and sees the return of Dani Thompson who helmed a segment in each of the two previous Horror-Scopes anthologies. And like those two shorts Thompson also stars – here as the leader of a band whose career isn’t going as planned. So what’s a girl to do? How about the ritual sacrifice of a locust in the hope of helping their latest single make the charts, breaking the “curse” of their career. But ritual sacrifice always, ALWAYS, has a price to pay doesn’t it? In this case, it turns anyone who listens to the song turns into a cannibal! Talk about hungry for fame… Groan, yes I know but that literally feels like it could be the genesis of this short!

Scorpio takes the next slot, with the short Poison: The Toad, which sees a guy pay a visit to a local pimp who has women held against their will in his home. After making his selection, the pimp warns the man to not kiss his particular choice on the lips – he can do anything else just don’t, no matter what happens, kiss her. For she is poison. Turns out our john isn’t there to have sex he’s there on behalf of the woman’s father to rescue her. Thankful for her rescue, she kisses her “hero.” Turns out he should’ve listened, because this time it turns out the pump was right – she is poison and now, thanks to her rescuer, she’s now also free! Another short, sharp story with a sting in its tale (sic), this segment takes it title oh so literally; and it feels a little underwhelming because of that.

We’re on the home stretch with Sagittarius represented by the short Cicada: The Storm, the only short in this anthology filmed outside the UK (I think). It’s also the most confusing – a first-person perspective of a man driving around, then we see him lying in bed, then visiting Niagara Falls, all set to a thumping electro soundtrack. Eventually, the man disappears and we see two women looking over the rails. Has he committed suicide? Were we privy to the last day(s) of a dead man? Frankly, it’s a confusing mess and the low point of this 12-segment film.

Hopefully Abyss: The Deep, representing Capricorn, can get the film back on track… Not really. This short, about a primordial Celtic goddess called Domnu – think something similar to Dagon, the lord of the deep in Lovecraft’s work. Unfortunately for those watching, learning that Celtic myth has a similar goddess of the deep to Lovecraft’s Dagon is about the only high point of this short, which suffers from too much exposition and terrible performances. But hey, at least the scenery looked good.

Aquarius see Tormentor: The Demon take centre stage and I had high hopes for this one given that it is helmed by MJ Dixon. And I was right too – this short sees a woman, Lyla, seemingly trying to escape her literal demon(s), only maybe, just maybe, the person who should be worried about demons is the man who comes to her aid. At first he seems kind and helpful but then his help turns to hurt as he realises Lyla is at rock bottom, drinking to forget her demons, and instead of helping her suggests that they should go to a hotel. And you know what happens to sleazeballs that prey on vulnerable women? They get their comeuppance. In this case from the very demon that haunts Lyla. You see Lyla told her “rescuer” that she was drinking to keep the [inner] demons away – only she meant that literally! A nice swift tale from Dixon, one that makes the most of an interesting premise and one that makes the most of Dixon’s experience in practical effects too.

Finally we’re on the last segment of Horror-Scopes Volume 3, which belongs to Pisces and Warrior: The Blade – from director Davin Jeayes who previously gave us the opening short in the last Horror-Scopes, The Rat. This time round Jeayes gives us a story about a tarot cult – one that has seemingly led to Chloe’s boyfriend Ben ghosting her. But then Chloe receives a mysterious parcel containing a set of tarot cards and a note from “B” with the instruction to take three cards to predict your future… Honestly, this short couldn’t be more timely, with a swift rise in online tarot readings on social media it’s a subject that is very in vogue right now. Though I doubt any tarot readings end up like Chloe’s! Unfortunately for this short there’s very little substance

Like the previous films, Horror-Scopes Volume 3: Dark Zodiac is a series of unconnected shorts, independently filmed and then brought together under the Horror-Scopes banner. And like last year’s entry, this is still very much a snapshot of the current UK independent horror scene, especially the scene that’s thriving OUTSIDE the mainstream, outside of traditional distribution, the true grassroots horror that seems to be finally finding a home at festivals like Horror-On-Sea and HorRHIFFic. In terms of the segments, not all of them work, but then there are some, like Fallen and Serpent, which will absolutely blow you away. And unlike the last film, it seems most of the filmmakers this year were aiming for more serious shorts – the levity of volume 2 seemingly replaced by more dour and more straightforward horror tales.