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Cadaver

Cadaver

202086 minTV-MAMidcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Director
Jarand Herdal
Starring
Gitte Witt, Thomas Gullestad, Thorbjørn Harr, Tuva Olivia Remman

In the aftermath of a nuclear disaster, a starving family finds hope in a charismatic hotel owner. Lured by the prospect of a free dinner, they discover that the evening's entertainment blurs the lines between performance and reality. Will they wind up the spectators or the spectacle?

Where to watch

Where can I watch Cadaver?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Cadaver streaming on Netflix.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Cadaver?

Cadaver earns 4 badges, led by Overhyped and Unsettling.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Cadaver worth watching?

Cadaver's Midcredits score is the 16th percentile of all films, from 62K ratings across 4 sources. 22% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

16th percentile

Better received than 16% of films

12th percentile among Drama17th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)11th

54 /100

25th percentile of all films

21st percentile among Drama28th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

22% liked it

11th percentile of all films

7th percentile among Drama13th percentile among 2020s
22% rated it 7–1078% rated it 1–6

Critics 25% · Audience 30%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

92nd percentile

62K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama93rd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree that the film has a striking visual style and an interesting core concept, but the execution is uneven and the story offers few surprises.

Fans praised

  • rich atmosphere and immersive world-building contrast between post-apocalyptic grey and opulent hotel interiors
  • ambitious premise exploring survival morality and the blurred lines between performance and reality
  • strong cinematography and visual design with Kubrickian/Lynchian influences

Detractors panned

  • predictable plot with no real twists or surprises
  • poorly written script with illogical character decisions and plot holes
  • annoying and unlikable main characters, especially the parents' repeated stupidity

What stands out

Cinematography75

striking contrasts, rich reds and golds, atmospheric hotel interiors

AtmosphereDivisive70

effective eerie mood, immersive hotel setting and desolate outside world

ActingDivisive55

divisive; fans note strong performances especially from Gitte Witt and Thorbjørn Harr, detractors find it wooden or over-the-top

OriginalityDivisive45

novel premise of interactive theatre as trap, but derivative within post-apocalyptic horror

TensionDivisive45

some suspense but undermined by predictability and slow sections

Pacing35

sluggish first half with excessive wandering, picks up too late

Plot and storyDivisive30

predictable cannibal twist, lack of surprises and weak narrative logic

CharactersDivisive25

unlikeable protagonists make irrational choices; antagonists more interesting but underdeveloped

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Cadaver like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTense
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlayed straight with earnest horror: no irony, the threats are real and the family's fear is sincere.
The rideThe film likely builds a constant atmosphere of dread and tension, with the heaviest emotional weight in the climax as the family's fate becomes clear.
StructureLinear progression from arrival, through the performance, to the escalation of horror and escape attempt.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering unease about deception and survival, but the execution fails to make it deeply affecting, resulting in a mildly unsettling aftertaste with a hint of hope that the family might escape.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).VoyageDescent
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1% (this title)
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Descent: A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).

4% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA family is lured from their bleak post-apocalyptic survival into a hotel that promises food and entertainment, only to descend into a nightmarish ordeal they must escape. This fits a journey into a dark underworld (descent) with no clear monster to overcome.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalDeception · 9% of filmsHope · 5% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores desperate survival after a nuclear disaster and how false hope can be exploited through manipulation and performance.
StanceThe film warns about the exploitation of desperate people through deception, focusing on the family's intimate struggle.

The world

Near futureInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Jonathan Sigsworth
Settinga hotel in the aftermath of a nuclear disaster

Content guide

Is Cadaver okay for kids?

TV-MA

Cadaver is rated TV-MA. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (77/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at mild (26/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (15/100) and frightening material at intense (63/100). Overall it is heavier than 42% of TV-MA films.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA15+
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • JapanR18+
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina16
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyVM14
  • MexicoTV-MA
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • RO18
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 57% of all filmsHeavier than 42% of TV-MA films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for a TV-MA film
heavier than 65%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA film
heavier than 54%
Profanity
Mild
light for a TV-MA film
heavier than 4%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a TV-MA film
heavier than 11%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for a TV-MA film
heavier than 58%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Cadaver have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Cadaver?

Cast

Gitte Witt
as Leonora
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Thomas Gullestad
as Jacob
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Thorbjørn Harr
as Mathias
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tuva Olivia Remman
as Alice
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Trine Wiggen
as Rakel
Maria Grazia Di Meo
as Kathrine
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kingsford Siayor
as Lars
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Jonatan Rodriguez
as David
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Stig Frode Henriksen
as Hans
Bente Børsum
as Vivian
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Cadaver?

Movies like Cadaver include The Day (2011), 28 Years Later (2025) and Red Dot (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the near future, and most are survival thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its world: post-apocalyptic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Cadaver?

547 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: post apocalyptic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.