Horror movies don’t have a season. Whether it’s in theaters, on VOD, or part of the streaming landscape, horror films are the most stable and prevalent new releases year-round. Many trade on familiar tropes and stories, but they have to find a hook to sell the audience.

Sometimes the hook is a location. Sometimes the hook is a twist on a familiar narrative. And sometimes that hook comes in the form of casting. For The Hermit, a new horror film available on VOD beginning Tuesday, March 3, it is the casting that’s the hook. But is it worth committing to the bit? Let’s dive in.

The film follows Lisa (Malina Weissman), who has survived something traumatic. She’s being interviewed by a local reporter. She appears uncomfortable and hesitant to explain it all. But she dives into her story, and it’s not a happy one.

She’s on a camping trip with her boyfriend (Anthony Turpel) and her father. She and her boyfriend, Eric, head into the nearby woods. They come upon a secluded cabin and a pig farm. But it turns out the farmer, a Hermit (Lou Ferrigno), doesn’t just cultivate pigs. His source of meat is broader than that.

When he returns, the Hermit is none too happy to find Lisa and Eric. They quickly become his victims and have to fight to escape the carnage alongside law enforcement and others in the area. Lisa shares her harrowing story, but it seems almost too wild to be believed. Could it be she’s hiding something?

This film doesn’t pull any punches about what it is. We’re quickly dropped into the life of our killer Hermit right away as a young woman approaches, is killed, and added to the menu. It feels like the cannibalistic killer has become even more popular as a troupe in low-budget horror films in recent years. And it plays no better here.

The big draw for this is the Hermit performer, Ferrigno. He’s best known for embodying the Hulk throughout the years. He’s a big and intimidating performer, and this film plays to that. It works OK, as does the setting. The story moves at a decent enough pace and though the twist is telegraphed somewhat early, it works OK.

But the characters aren’t deep and the film isn’t well shot by director Salvatore Sciafani. It’s only 86 minutes, but at times it feels longer. The narrative is thin, and the story is more gross than tense. Like so many low-budget horror films its ambitions are better than its execution, and it’s somewhat forgettable.

The Hermit is available on VOD Tuesday, March 3.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.