Eli Roth's 'Ice Cream Man' Earns 29% Rotten Tomatoes Score

As of August 4, 2026, Eli Roth's horror thriller 'Ice Cream Man' holds a 29% 'rotten' rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 17 reviews. The film, which is unrated, features Ari Millen as a disruptive ice cream vendor in a town, alongside Roth, Benjamin Byron Davis, Karen Cliche, and others. Critics are split: Owen Gleiberman from Variety took issue with Roth's direction, while William Bibbiani of The Wrap proposed a documentary about the effects team instead. Kyle Turner of Slant Magazine criticized the film's social commentary, and Jarrod Jones from AV Club remarked on its lack of inventive escalation compared to 'Thanksgiving.' Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter described it as 'sick and twisted,' while Bob Strauss of the San Francisco Chronicle appreciated Roth's depth. The review embargo was lifted at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, with preview screenings occurring on Thursday ahead of the nationwide release on Friday.