"Pretty" Review: Metecan Duren's Ambitious Horror Debut Shows Promise

Metecan Duren’s “Pretty” is an ambitious debut for a 19-year-old filmmaker with genuine visual talent, even if the screenplay and pacing keep the horror film from reaching its full potential.

The horror genre has seen a bit of a resurgence in 2026 with successful films like “Obsession” and “Backrooms.” Moviegoers seem eager for original horror, judging by the strong box-office performances of both films. 

I have to admit, horror is not my favorite genre. “Pretty won’t be for every viewer, but I can see horror film fans salivating for Duren’s movie.

Amid a surprisingly strong year for independent horror, “Pretty” arrives with genuine ambition but ultimately struggles to sustain its ideas. 

Sometimes less can be more in independent filmmaking. I think here, “Pretty’s” longer runtime may have taken the tension it created away. Some shots linger too long, while others feature too much exposition or clunky dialogue.

Strong Visual Craft

Here, I think Duren, the writer and actor, let down Duren the director. The Turkish teen also scored the film. It was truly a one-man production. That is admirable and a daunting task for a young artist.

Duren clearly understands composition in his film. He frames his actors well, creating several striking images. A tighter runtime would have kept our attention as the story plods through some of the scenes.

Acting, outside of Duren, is another issue for “Pretty.”

Melisa Kihtir (Pretty) and the rest of the cast try their best. Their biggest obstacle isn’t commitment; it’s dialogue that doesn’t always sound natural. Again, we are talking about a cast of friends coming together to make a low-budget horror movie, but there are moments where the actors on screen do not convey the urgency of a scene.

Budget limitations may have dictated the approach, but Duren wisely avoids turning “Pretty” into a splatter film. Instead, many of the kills occur off-camera, allowing the audience’s imagination to fill in the violence. 

Kihtir has screen presence, though it doesn’t always convey the emotional weight of the horrors she’s experienced, or those still to come.

For a cast of friends coming together to make a movie, they dive in and give it their all.

Duren demonstrates real talent behind the camera. You can tell he has studied the genre, and he attempts to bring together cohesion in his screenplay. 

The third-act reveal feels a bit rushed and out of left field. While it does aspire to more than a slasher picture, the final half-hour doesn’t feel like it earns the psychological issues our main character faces as it introduces supernatural elements. 

As the reveal unfolds, it feels more jarring than a plot development that we see coming and can understand.

Despite its shortcomings, there is something there that intrigues me about wanting to see this filmmaker and star continue their work. If Duren can better pair his visual style with storytelling, his next movie could be something a bigger audience could find compelling.