Infirmary (2026) Movie Review: A Creepy Found-Footage Horror Film That Turns an Abandoned Hospital Into a Nightmare
Infirmary (2026) Review
Infirmary is a 2026 horror movie directed by Nicholas Pineda and written by Katy Krauland and Nicholas Pineda. The film uses a found-footage and body-camera style to tell the story of a security guard who begins his first night working inside an abandoned psychiatric hospital.
The movie stars Paul Syre Lee as Edward, with Mark Anthony Williams as Lester, Danielle Kennedy as Ms. Downey, and Corinna Wagner-Smith as a Vagrant. It runs for roughly 85โ87 minutes and mixes horror, mystery, thriller, drama, and found-footage elements. (Rotten Tomatoes)
At first, Infirmary seems like a simple haunted-hospital movie. A new security guard enters an empty medical building. The place is old, dark, strange and clearly hiding secrets. But as the night continues, the movie slowly introduces disturbing clues about the hospital, its former activities and the strange things happening inside it.
That basic setup is one of the strongest things about the film.
An abandoned hospital is already a frightening location. Add empty corridors, security cameras, strange sounds, medical mannequins, darkness and the knowledge that something may be watching from somewhere nearby, and the filmmakers have a strong foundation for horror.
The movie does not depend entirely on huge monsters or expensive special effects. Instead, it tries to make the audience uncomfortable by making ordinary spaces feel unsafe.
That is where Infirmary works best.
It is not a perfect horror movie. Some viewers will probably find the story repetitive, while others may feel that the characters are not developed enough. Critics have also been divided. Some have praised the atmosphere, camera work and scares, while others have criticized the movie for relying too much on loud sounds and not developing its ideas enough. (Rotten Tomatoes)
Still, Infirmary is an interesting addition to modern found-footage horror because it understands one important rule of the genre: sometimes what you cannot clearly see is more frightening than what you can see.
What Is Infirmary About?
Infirmary follows Edward, a security guard who starts his first shift at the abandoned Wilshire facility.
The movie presents the footage as something recovered after a disturbing incident. The basic premise is that a guard disappeared during his first night at the old psychiatric hospital, and his body-camera recordings contain evidence of unexplained events.
That setup immediately gives the movie a mystery.
The audience knows that something has gone wrong.
The question is what happened.
Edward enters the building expecting to perform a security job. He does not appear to be looking for supernatural trouble. He is there to work.
That makes the beginning more effective because Edwardโs situation feels ordinary.
He is not a professional ghost hunter.
He is not a paranormal investigator.
He is not a fearless action hero.
He is simply a man who has accepted a security job.
Unfortunately for him, the location is far from normal.
The Wilshire facility is abandoned, and its empty spaces create much of the filmโs atmosphere. Long corridors, rooms without people, old medical areas and surveillance cameras become important parts of the storytelling.
The building feels like a character by itself.
As Edward spends more time inside, things begin to feel wrong.
The audience starts noticing strange movements and unusual sounds. The security-camera footage creates the feeling that something could be happening somewhere else in the building while Edward is standing in another room.
That is an effective horror technique.
Instead of showing everything directly, the movie encourages viewers to watch the background.
You begin checking corners.
You begin looking at doors.
You begin wondering whether something moved.
And that feeling is exactly what good found-footage horror should create.
The Story of Infirmary
The story begins with an unusual framing device.
Instead of simply opening with Edward walking into the hospital, the film establishes that the footage is connected to an investigation. This gives the movie a documentary-like quality.
The audience is effectively watching evidence.
That changes the way you look at every scene.
If you know the footage comes from a situation where somebody disappeared, even an ordinary conversation can feel uncomfortable.
You start asking questions.
Why is this person behaving like that?
Why is that door open?
Why does the camera stay pointed toward that hallway?
Why is nobody reacting to that noise?
What happened to Edward?
The movie uses these questions to maintain suspense.
Edward meets people connected to the facility, including Lester and Ms. Downey. Lester, in particular, gives Edward a difficult introduction to the job.
Instead of making the new employee feel comfortable, the environment immediately becomes strange.
This is important because Infirmary does not wait until the middle of the film to introduce discomfort.
The discomfort starts early.
There is also an interesting contrast between the normal responsibilities of a security guard and the strange things happening around Edward.
A security guard is expected to observe.
He checks doors.
He watches cameras.
He walks through buildings.
He investigates unusual noises.
In a normal building, those duties are boring.
In a horror movie, they become terrifying.
Every responsibility Edward has forces him deeper into the mystery.
Edward as the Main Character
Paul Syreโs performance as Edward is central to the movie.
Edward is not written as an overly confident horror protagonist.
He is uncertain.
He follows instructions.
He is trying to understand the situation around him.
That makes him easier to place inside the story.
A major strength of found-footage horror is making the audience feel as if they are experiencing events through an ordinary person.
Edward helps create that feeling.
He does not always know what the audience wants to know.
He does not have all the answers.
When something strange happens, he has to investigate it himself.
That can make the viewer nervous because there is no traditional movie camera showing us what is happening somewhere else.
We see what Edward sees.
Or we see what the security cameras see.
That limitation becomes part of the horror.
According to RogerEbert.comโs review, Edward is presented as a recently discharged veteran who is accustomed to following orders, but the review also argues that the film does not develop the character enough to make audiences deeply invested in his fate. (Roger Ebert)
That criticism is fair.
Edward is useful as a viewpoint character, but he could have been given a stronger emotional story.
We understand that he has a background.
We understand that he has reasons for taking the job.
But the movie could have spent more time showing us who he is before the horror takes over.
If the audience cares more about the person, danger becomes more powerful.
The Abandoned Hospital Is the Real Star
One of the most impressive aspects of Infirmary is its location.
The Wilshire facility gives the movie exactly the kind of environment that horror needs.
There is something naturally disturbing about abandoned hospitals.
Hospitals are normally places filled with people.
Doctors should be walking through the halls.
Nurses should be working.
Patients should be receiving treatment.
Machines should be making sounds.
When all of that disappears, the building becomes strangely lifeless.
Infirmary takes advantage of this feeling.
The hallways are often more frightening than the creatures or supernatural ideas.
A long empty corridor can create more suspense than a detailed monster.
Why?
Because the audience fills the empty space with imagination.
You look down the hallway and expect something to appear.
You see a door and wonder what is behind it.
You see a dark room and imagine movement inside.
This is especially effective when combined with surveillance-camera footage.
The fixed camera angle creates a feeling of helplessness.
The viewer cannot control the camera.
Edward cannot necessarily see everything.
Something could be standing outside the frame.
And that possibility creates tension.
The Found-Footage Style
If you are a fan of found-footage horror, Infirmary will probably interest you.
The movie uses body-camera and CCTV footage as important storytelling tools. IMDb describes it as found-footage horror, while AMC+ presents the story specifically through recovered body-camera footage. (IMDb)
This style has been used many times in horror.
Films such as The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity helped make the format extremely popular.
But found footage is not automatically scary.
The filmmaker still has to know how to use the camera.
Infirmary understands some of the advantages of the format.
The body camera keeps the viewer close to Edward.
The CCTV cameras create distance.
That combination allows the movie to switch between two different kinds of fear.
The body-camera footage creates personal fear.
You feel like you are walking through the building with Edward.
The CCTV footage creates observational fear.
You are watching something happen from a distance.
The second type can be especially effective because you may notice something before Edward does.
That creates a feeling of helplessness.
You know something is wrong.
The character does not.
And you have no way to warn him.
Why the Cameras Matter
The cameras are not just a visual gimmick.
They become part of the storytelling.
A traditional horror movie can move the camera wherever the director wants.
The camera can suddenly show a monster.
It can move behind a character.
It can reveal a person standing in the doorway.
Found footage has fewer options.
The filmmakers have to make the limitations interesting.
Infirmary uses that limitation to create uncertainty.
A security camera may show an empty hallway.
The viewer watches it.
Nothing happens.
Then you start wondering whether something will appear.
That waiting can be frightening.
One of the most interesting observations from RogerEbert.comโs review is that some of the filmโs surveillance-camera moments are actually more disturbing than its larger horror sequences. The review points to the idea of seeing a shape on a camera and not knowing whether it is a person or something else as one of the filmโs strongest sources of fear. (Roger Ebert)
I agree with that assessment.
The simple moments are often the best moments.
A figure in the distance.
A room that should be empty.
A mannequin that appears to have changed position.
A shadow that does not make sense.
These things make the viewer question what they are seeing.
The Horror of Medical Mannequins
One of the movieโs stranger ideas involves medical mannequins.
At first, mannequins may not seem particularly frightening.
But in an abandoned medical facility, they become disturbing.
A human-shaped object standing motionless in a dark room can create an uncomfortable feeling.
Is it a mannequin?
Is it a person?
Did it move?
Was it always there?
This uncertainty is useful.
Infirmary takes the idea further by connecting the mannequins to the mysterious history of the facility.
Without going too deeply into spoilers, the movie introduces supernatural concepts involving the transfer of human consciousness or identity into human-sized medical figures.
This is where the film becomes much stranger.
The earlier sections are based on familiar fears.
An abandoned building.
A dark corridor.
An unknown intruder.
A mysterious sound.
But the mannequin mythology pushes the movie into more unusual territory.
That will work better for some viewers than others.
Some horror fans enjoy when a movie starts with a realistic premise and gradually becomes supernatural.
Others may prefer the mystery to remain unexplained.
Is Infirmary Actually Scary?
This is probably the biggest question.
The answer depends heavily on what scares you.
If you are frightened by abandoned places, dark hallways, CCTV footage and the feeling of being watched, Infirmary has plenty to offer.
If you need constant monsters, gore and major jump scares, you may find the movie less satisfying.
Critics have been divided on this point.
Rotten Tomatoes currently shows a mixed group of professional reviews. Some critics praised the oppressive atmosphere and carefully constructed scares, while another review criticized the film for relying too heavily on loud noises and shrieking sound design. (Rotten Tomatoes)
That difference is important.
Infirmary is more successful at creating unease than delivering nonstop terror.
There is a difference.
A terrifying movie can make you jump.
An unsettling movie can make you uncomfortable for several minutes.
Infirmary often chooses the second option.
It wants you to stare at an empty hallway.
It wants you to question what is visible on a monitor.
It wants you to feel that the building is wrong.
That atmosphere is one of the movieโs strongest qualities.
The Sound Design
Sound is extremely important in found-footage horror.
Because the visuals are intentionally limited, sound has to do more work.
A noise from another room can be enough to make the viewer nervous.
Footsteps can create suspense.
A distant scream can make the building feel larger.
Silence can be even more effective.
Infirmary uses sudden noises and disturbing audio to create some of its scares.
However, this is also one of the filmโs weaknesses.
Some critics believe the movie relies too much on loud sounds.
That criticism is worth considering.
A loud noise can make you jump, but jumping is not always the same thing as being scared.
The best horror usually creates tension before the scare.
It makes you expect something.
Then it delivers.
When every strange moment is accompanied by a loud sound, the technique can become predictable.
That is why some viewers may find the movieโs audio scares less effective as the story continues.
The Atmosphere of Infirmary
Atmosphere is probably the filmโs greatest strength.
The movie creates a cold and uncomfortable environment.
The abandoned hospital feels disconnected from normal life.
There is no sense of safety.
There are no crowds.
There are no bright public spaces.
There is only Edward, the building and the strange things happening around him.
This creates a claustrophobic feeling even though the building itself is large.
That is an interesting achievement.
Normally, a large building should make a character feel less trapped.
In Infirmary, the opposite happens.
The more corridors Edward has to explore, the more lost he seems.
The more rooms he enters, the more possibilities exist for danger.
The hospital becomes a maze.
The Role of Mystery
A horror movie does not need to explain everything immediately.
In fact, explaining too much can make horror weaker.
Infirmary understands this during parts of its first half.
The audience is encouraged to wonder what happened at the facility.
Why was it abandoned?
What happened to the people who worked there?
What is Edward really dealing with?
Why are there medical mannequins?
Why does the building feel watched?
What happened before Edward arrived?
These questions create momentum.
The problem is that the film eventually has to provide answers.
When those answers arrive, some viewers may feel that the mystery was more interesting than the explanation.
This is a common problem in supernatural horror.
The unknown can be frightening.
The explanation may not be.
Lester and the Supporting Characters
Mark Anthony Williams plays Lester, another important figure in Edwardโs night.
Lester helps establish the strange environment Edward has entered.
The relationship between the two men also adds tension.
Lester is not simply a friendly co-worker explaining everything.
There is something uncomfortable about his behavior.
The way he treats Edward makes the new employee question what kind of place he has joined.
Danielle Kennedy plays Ms. Downey, another character connected to Edwardโs employment.
The supporting cast is relatively small.
That is understandable given the setting and found-footage format.
However, it also creates one of the movieโs limitations.
There are not many characters to become emotionally attached to.
RogerEbert.comโs review makes a similar criticism, arguing that the limited character development makes it difficult for the audience to become deeply invested in what happens to Edward. (Roger Ebert)
This is one area where a longer runtime might have helped.
The movie could have given the characters more personal conversations before the horror intensified.
The First Night Setup Works
There is something naturally frightening about starting a new job at night.
Imagine being told that you must spend the night alone in a building nobody uses anymore.
Then imagine discovering that the building has a disturbing history.
Then imagine hearing something moving in the dark.
That is the emotional foundation of Infirmary.
Edwardโs first night is supposed to be routine.
But routine quickly disappears.
The film uses the familiar workplace scenario to make the horror accessible.
Many people understand the feeling of starting a new job.
You do not know the rules yet.
You do not know the people.
You are trying to make a good impression.
You are trying to follow instructions.
Now imagine doing all of that in an abandoned psychiatric hospital.
That is a strong horror premise.
Infirmary and Liminal Horror
Modern horror has become increasingly interested in liminal spaces.
A liminal space is generally a place that feels transitional, empty or strangely disconnected from its normal purpose.
An abandoned hospital is perfect for this style.
It was once active.
Now it is empty.
It was designed to help people.
Now it feels threatening.
It was once full of human activity.
Now silence dominates.
Infirmary benefits greatly from this feeling.
The building looks like a place that should be full of life, but it is not.
That creates a strange emotional conflict.
Your brain recognizes the location.
But something about it feels wrong.
That is exactly the kind of discomfort that modern atmospheric horror can exploit.
Infirmary and the Backrooms Feeling
Some critics have compared the movieโs atmosphere to the kind of liminal horror associated with the Backrooms.
AMC+ itself currently presents Infirmary as a recommendation for fans of the Backrooms. (AMC+)
The comparison makes sense.
The long empty corridors.
The strange lighting.
The surveillance-camera perspective.
The lack of ordinary human activity.
The feeling that the building is larger than it should be.
All of these qualities can remind viewers of liminal-space horror.
But Infirmary is still fundamentally a found-footage horror film.
Its story has characters, a mystery and a supernatural explanation.
The Backrooms comparison is more useful as a description of atmosphere than as a description of the plot.
The Visual Style
The visual style is intentionally imperfect.
This is important.
If Infirmary were filmed like a polished Hollywood horror blockbuster, the premise would lose some of its realism.
Instead, the body-camera footage looks like body-camera footage.
The security cameras look like security cameras.
The image can feel limited.
The frame can be uncomfortable.
The viewer does not always have the best possible angle.
That limitation is part of the experience.
The movie is asking you to believe that these are recovered recordings.
IMDb lists the film with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which also contributes to its old-fashioned, boxed-in visual feeling. (IMDb)
That visual decision helps the movie feel different from standard widescreen horror.
Why the Filmโs Low Budget Can Be a Strength
According to IMDb, Infirmary had an estimated budget of around $300,000. (IMDb)
That is a very small budget compared with major studio horror productions.
But found footage is one of the genres where a smaller budget can actually become an advantage.
The filmmakers do not need huge sets.
They do not need expensive CGI.
They do not need dozens of actors.
They need a convincing location, a good concept and effective sound and editing.
The abandoned hospital provides the production with a naturally cinematic environment.
Instead of hiding the limitations of the production, the film makes those limitations part of the style.
That is smart filmmaking.
Nicholas Pineda as Director
Infirmary is directed by Nicholas Pineda.
For a feature debut, the movie shows a clear understanding of atmosphere.
Pineda knows that horror does not always require constant action.
He understands the value of waiting.
He understands that an empty hallway can be useful.
He understands the fear of surveillance footage.
He also understands how to use a restricted viewpoint.
However, the movie also shows areas where a first-time feature filmmaker could grow.
The script does not always develop its characters enough.
Some sequences become repetitive.
Some of the supernatural explanations are less interesting than the mystery that comes before them.
Still, the film demonstrates a recognizable directorial style.
Pineda has an interest in spaces, surveillance and visual uncertainty.
Those are useful tools for a horror filmmaker.
Katy Kraulandโs Screenplay
The screenplay comes from Katy Krauland, with the story credited to Krauland and Pineda in the filmโs production listings. (IMDb)
The basic concept is strong.
A missing security guard.
An abandoned psychiatric hospital.
Recovered body-camera footage.
Unexplained incidents.
A mysterious history.
These are all effective ingredients.
The main weakness is that the character writing does not always match the strength of the concept.
The movie has an intriguing world, but some characters feel like they exist mainly to move the plot forward.
A stronger emotional connection to Edward could have made the final act more powerful.
Is Infirmary a Ghost Story?
Not exactly.
The movie uses supernatural horror, but it is not simply a traditional haunted-house story.
There are strange phenomena connected to the hospitalโs past.
The movie also introduces disturbing ideas about medical mannequins and the transfer of human consciousness.
That makes the horror more unusual.
Instead of simply having ghosts wander through the corridors, Infirmary creates a larger mystery surrounding the facility.
This helps distinguish it from a basic haunted-asylum movie.
At the same time, some viewers may prefer the simpler scares.
The more complicated the mythology becomes, the less grounded the movie feels.
Does Infirmary Have Jump Scares?
Yes.
The movie uses sudden scares and loud sounds.
However, it is not built entirely around jump scares.
Its strongest moments often come before the scare.
A hallway.
A strange shape.
A camera feed.
A mannequin.
A noise.
A pause.
The viewer waits.
That waiting is important.
When a horror movie gives you time to imagine what could happen, your imagination often becomes part of the filmmaking.
That is why some of the quieter scenes work better than the louder ones.
The Importance of the Empty Hallways
The empty hallway is almost a character in Infirmary.
There is something powerful about watching an apparently empty corridor for too long.
Your brain starts searching for movement.
You look at the far end.
You look around doors.
You examine shadows.
You wonder whether something is standing just outside the frame.
This is especially effective because the movie knows viewers understand horror conventions.
We know something might appear.
But we do not know when.
That creates suspense.
The movie could have used this technique even more.
Some critics have argued that the repeated camera angles eventually reduce the impact because the film sometimes shows too many similar empty spaces without enough variation. (Roger Ebert)
That is a reasonable criticism.
The same technique that creates tension can become boring if repeated too often.
The Movieโs Biggest Strengths
There are several things Infirmary does well.
1. The setting
The abandoned hospital is an excellent horror location.
2. The atmosphere
The film creates an uncomfortable sense of isolation.
3. The found-footage approach
The body-camera and CCTV format fits the story naturally.
4. The mystery
The movie gives viewers enough questions to keep watching.
5. The visual uncertainty
Sometimes the most frightening thing is simply wondering whether you saw something.
6. The sound
Although some critics found the audio scares excessive, the sound design still contributes strongly to the tension.
7. The ambition
For a relatively low-budget feature debut, the movie attempts to create a larger supernatural mystery rather than simply copying a basic haunted-house formula.
The Movieโs Weaknesses
No review of Infirmary would be complete without discussing its problems.
1. Weak character development
Edward is interesting as a viewpoint character, but the screenplay could have given him more emotional depth.
2. Repetition
Some scenes repeat similar ideas.
3. Too much reliance on sound
Some scares depend heavily on sudden loud noises.
4. The supernatural explanation
The mythology may not work equally well for every viewer.
5. Limited emotional connection
Because there are relatively few characters, the audience may not become deeply attached to them.
6. The final act
The movie has interesting ideas, but the ending may not satisfy viewers who wanted a stronger explanation or emotional payoff.
These weaknesses explain why critical reactions have been mixed rather than universally positive. Rotten Tomatoesโ review collection includes both strong praise for the filmโs atmosphere and significant criticism of its scares and narrative execution. (Rotten Tomatoes)
Is Infirmary Worth Watching?
Yes, especially if you enjoy independent horror and found-footage movies.
But I would not recommend it equally to everyone.
If you enjoy movies such as The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum, liminal-space horror and body-camera horror, Infirmary is worth trying.
If you dislike shaky or restricted-camera movies, you may struggle with it.
If you need a complicated story with deeply developed characters, this may not be your ideal horror movie.
If you enjoy atmosphere more than action, however, the film has something to offer.
Infirmary Movie Review Without Spoilers
Without discussing the major story developments, Infirmary is about a security guard entering an abandoned psychiatric facility for his first night on the job.
The film uses body-camera recordings and surveillance footage to create the impression that viewers are watching evidence recovered after a disappearance.
The location is creepy.
The atmosphere is strong.
The mystery is interesting.
The movie takes its time.
Some of the best moments involve simply watching empty rooms and corridors and waiting for something to change.
The main problem is that the film does not always develop its characters enough to match the strength of its setting.
The movie also becomes less effective when it explains some of its supernatural ideas.
Still, the atmosphere and visual approach make it an interesting horror experience.
Infirmary Movie Review With Spoilers
Warning: This section discusses story details and the filmโs supernatural ideas.
The movie begins by establishing that the footage is connected to a disappearance and investigation.
Edward arrives at the abandoned Wilshire facility.
He is there as a security guard.
His first night should be routine.
Instead, he becomes increasingly aware that the building contains disturbing secrets.
Lesterโs behavior immediately makes the job uncomfortable.
Edward also encounters things that suggest the building is not simply empty.
The hospitalโs history becomes increasingly important.
The presence of mannequins is one of the filmโs strangest elements.
Eventually, the story connects these figures to supernatural experimentation involving human consciousness.
This changes the nature of the horror.
At the beginning, the viewer can imagine that Edward is dealing with an intruder, a mentally unstable person or something paranormal.
Later, the movie introduces a much stranger explanation.
This is an ambitious idea.
It is also where the movie becomes more divisive.
The early mystery feels grounded in the abandoned building.
The later mythology asks the audience to accept a much more unusual supernatural concept.
For some viewers, that makes the movie more interesting.
For others, it weakens the grounded fear established earlier.
What Makes the Ending Interesting?
The ending is important because the entire film is framed around recovered footage.
From the beginning, we know something has happened.
Edward is not simply having an ordinary bad night.
The footage exists because something went wrong.
That knowledge changes the meaning of everything we see.
The ending therefore works partly because the audience has been waiting to discover what happened to the missing guard.
However, the movie does not necessarily provide the kind of neat resolution some viewers might expect.
That is consistent with found-footage horror.
Sometimes the lack of complete answers is part of the fear.
The idea is that the footage exists, but the full truth remains uncertain.
Is Infirmary Based on a True Story?
No. Infirmary is a scripted fictional horror movie, even though its found-footage presentation is designed to make the events feel like recovered evidence.
This distinction is important.
The movie uses a realistic presentation style.
It looks like body-camera material.
It uses surveillance footage.
It begins with an investigative framing device.
All of these techniques can make viewers wonder whether they are watching something based on a real incident.
But the missing guard and the events shown in the movie are part of the filmโs fictional story. (Morbid Index)
The movie does, however, use a real abandoned hospital location for its production. IMDb lists the filming location as the Wilshire Hospital in Los Angeles, California. (IMDb)
So there is a real location behind the fictional story.
That may be one reason the movie feels convincing.
Where Can You Watch Infirmary?
As of October 2026, Infirmary is available through AMC+. AMC+ lists the movie as a 2026 horror title with a runtime of about 1 hour and 26 minutes and a TV-MA rating. (AMC+)
You can check the current availability here:
You can also check the movieโs information and cast through IMDb:
And Rotten Tomatoes has a collection of professional reviews for the film:
Availability can change depending on country and streaming rights, so viewers outside the United States should check their local streaming services.
Infirmary Cast
The principal cast includes:
Paul Syre Lee as Edward โ the security guard whose first night at the abandoned hospital becomes the center of the story.
Mark Anthony Williams as Lester โ another important figure connected to the security job.
Danielle Kennedy as Ms. Downey โ a character involved in Edwardโs introduction to the facility.
Corinna Wagner-Smith as Vagrant โ another presence within the story.
The cast is relatively small, which fits the movieโs isolated setting and found-footage format. (IMDb)
Infirmary Director and Writers
Nicholas Pineda directed the film.
The screenplay is credited to Katy Krauland, with the story credited to Krauland and Pineda. (IMDb)
This is an important movie for Pineda because Infirmary demonstrates his interest in low-budget horror, found footage and unsettling locations.
Rather than trying to compete with large studio productions through expensive visual effects, the film focuses on atmosphere.
That is a sensible approach.
How Long Is Infirmary?
The movie is approximately 85 to 87 minutes long, depending on the listing and platform. Rotten Tomatoes lists it at 1 hour and 25 minutes, while IMDb lists 1 hour and 27 minutes. (Rotten Tomatoes)
That relatively short runtime works in its favor in some ways.
The movie does not require several hours of commitment.
However, because some viewers already find parts of the film repetitive, a shorter runtime does not automatically solve the pacing problem.
The best horror films know not only when to begin but also when to stop.
Infirmary comes close to that balance but does not always maintain it.
Infirmary Rating
My rating for Infirmary would be:
6.5/10
Story: 6/10
The basic idea is interesting, but the screenplay could have developed the characters and mythology more effectively.
Horror: 7/10
The atmosphere and setting are strong, even if some scares depend too much on sound.
Acting: 6.5/10
The cast does solid work, especially considering the restricted found-footage style.
Cinematography: 7/10
The CCTV and body-camera presentation suits the story.
Atmosphere: 8/10
This is where the movie is strongest.
Sound: 6.5/10
Effective in places, but sometimes too dependent on loud scares.
Ending: 6/10
The conclusion has interesting ideas but may not satisfy everyone.
Overall: 6.5/10
Final Verdict on Infirmary
Infirmary is not a perfect horror film, but it is an interesting one.
Its greatest achievement is not its supernatural mythology.
It is the feeling of entering an abandoned building where something seems wrong.
The hospital is creepy.
The cameras are uncomfortable.
The empty corridors create suspense.
The body-camera footage makes the story feel personal.
And the idea that the audience is watching recovered footage gives every scene an extra layer of danger.
The movieโs biggest weakness is that the characters and story do not always reach the same level as the atmosphere.
There are moments when the film feels like it is building toward something bigger than what eventually arrives.
Some of the supernatural explanations are more complicated than necessary.
Some scares rely heavily on loud noises.
Some scenes repeat the same basic idea.
But those problems do not completely destroy the experience.
For horror fans, especially viewers who enjoy independent found footage, Infirmary is worth a look.
It is also an interesting example of what filmmakers can do with a relatively small budget when they have access to an effective location.
The movie does not need a giant haunted mansion.
It does not need an army of monsters.
It does not need expensive computer-generated effects.
It has an empty hospital.
It has a camera.
It has a security guard.
And it has the fear of not knowing what is waiting around the next corner.
Sometimes that is enough.
Final Thoughts
What I like most about Infirmary is its understanding that horror can begin with something ordinary.
A person starts a new job.
A person walks through a hallway.
A security camera watches an empty room.
A door is checked.
A noise is heard.
Nothing seems unusual.
Then one small detail changes everything.
That is the kind of horror that stays with you.
The film also shows why found footage continues to survive as a horror style. It is not simply about shaking the camera or pretending that a recording is real. When used correctly, found footage changes the relationship between the viewer and the story.
You are not watching a character from a comfortable distance.
You are watching evidence.
You are trying to understand what happened.
You are looking at the same screen the investigators supposedly found.
That makes small details important.
A figure in the distance can become terrifying.
A strange sound can become a clue.
An empty room can become suspicious.
A mannequin can become something you are afraid to look at twice.
That is where Infirmary succeeds.
It does not reinvent horror, but it takes familiar ideas and places them inside a visually effective environment.
The critical response so far reflects that mixed but interesting result. Some reviewers have praised its atmosphere, scares and feature-debut potential, while others have found the story repetitive or the scares overly dependent on sound. (Rotten Tomatoes)
In the end, Infirmary (2026) is best recommended to viewers who enjoy slow-building found-footage horror, abandoned locations, surveillance-camera scares and mysterious supernatural stories.
It may not become the greatest found-footage movie ever made.
But it has enough atmosphere, ambition and unsettling imagery to make it worth discussing.
And if you have ever looked down a dark hallway and wondered whether something was standing at the other end, Infirmary knows exactly how to turn that simple fear into a movie.
Overall rating: 6.5/10.