The Incomer (2026) Review

Civilisation has a tendency to be suspicious of those who choose to live without it. From hermits and survivalists to isolated communities tucked away from the modern world, people who exist beyond society's accepted boundaries have long fascinated us. Sometimes isolation breeds madness; sometimes enlightenment. More often than not, however, it simply produces people who are very, very strange. Such is the case with the characters in Louis Paxton’s ‘The Incomer’.

It follows Isla and her brother Sandy, who live alone together on Awk Isle, and have done for the past thirty years. They’re odd ducks, to say the least, who fear outsiders, mimic gulls and regularly attack one another. Their peculiar little world is shaken up by the arrival of Daniel, a land recovery agent, sent to relocate them to the mainland. As the three get to know one another, will the siblings leave the island, or will Daniel be left stranded with them forevermore?

Paxton’s first feature makes for a peculiar but endearing, often very funny film. Somewhere between ‘Local Hero’ and Robert Eggers’ ‘The Lighthouse’, it is an original, engaging debut. The characters are compelling, while his heightened, offbeat dialogue produces some great moments of comedy. There is an air of Yorgos Lanthimos about the film, particularly in Paxton’s confidence in allowing both his characters embrace the weird.

The relationship between the central three is both entertaining and heartfelt. Isla and Sandy’s initial hostility towards Daniel gradually gives way to acceptance and even affection, while Daniel sheds his awkwardness and grows in confidence. Their evolving dynamic provides the film with a genuine warmth, even if the ending is a bit mushy and some moments veer into twee territory.

Beneath its oddball surface, Paxton explores some surprisingly poignant themes. The siblings’ isolation is rooted in a troubled family history, with grief and trauma shaping their relationship with the outside world. Their attachment to the island consequently feels less like mere eccentricity and more like a means of protecting themselves from a painful past. Through Daniel’s arrival, Paxton examines the difficulty of moving on and the ways people become trapped by their own memories. Yet he handles these heavier ideas with a light touch, striking a fine balance between the film’s more poignant themes and eccentric humour.

Patrick Golan’s cinematography is immersive, making excellent use of both the island’s rugged landscape and the faces of its inhabitants. The cramped interiors, with their peeling paint and worn furnishings, are every bit as atmospheric as the crags and rocks outside, creating a world that feels isolated and aged. Arthur de Borma and Kezia Eales’ production design, complemented by Toni Child’s set decoration, is equally impressive, while the weather-beaten appearance of the locals further adds to the film’s sense of place.

Sarah Blenkinsop’s costumes are similarly convincing, helping the characters look as though they genuinely belong to this windswept corner of the world. Tom Kingston’s folksy, occasionally eerie score complements the atmosphere nicely, while Brian Philip Davis’ editing keeps things moving at a good pace.

Gayle Rankin is terrific as Isla, balancing her hostility and eccentricity with a surprising vulnerability. There is something almost childlike about Isla’s behaviour, yet Rankin never loses sight of the hurt beneath it, giving her an emotional depth that prevents the character from becoming merely a collection of odd mannerisms.

Domhnall Gleeson is equally well cast as Daniel, initially playing him as an awkward, painfully uncomfortable outsider who seems hopelessly ill-equipped for his assignment. As he becomes more at ease around Isla and Sandy, Gleeson gradually loosens his performance, allowing a greater confidence emerge. His understated approach also makes him an effective straight man amid the siblings’ eccentricity.

As Sandy, Grant O’Rourke is brilliant, fully committing to his character’s peculiar behaviour without making him irritating. His chemistry with Rankin is particularly convincing, making their unusual sibling relationship believable. John Hannah is suitably bizarre as Finman, an aquatic seal-man who attempts to beckon Isla towards the shallows, while Michelle Gomez brings a steely sharpness to Roz, Daniel’s formidable boss. As Daniel’s deranged co-worker Calum, Emun Elliott also does fine work, throwing himself into the madness with suitably unhinged enthusiasm.

Isla calls her mystery hutch- a shed where she keeps bits and bobs- “a place of curious beauty.” That sums the film up quite nicely. Peculiar, atmospheric and often very funny, Louis Paxton’s ‘The Incomer’ is an assured debut, balancing its eccentric characters and offbeat humour with genuine warmth and emotional depth. It may occasionally veer too far into twee territory, but there is an undeniable charm to its odd little world. In short, ‘The Incomer’ is outstanding.