No explosions. No car chases.One second, Phoebe’s there. Laughing. A flash of light, a snap of a selfie. The next, she’s gone. Just a voice, trembling: “She should’ve been safe.” With that line, Sugarcane kicks off its trailer. What follows is a tense, emotional unraveling that promises a relentless search through darkness, memory, and silence.
Directed by Pat Baker and Darryl Postley Jr. the screen is layered with pure dread. From the onset of the trailer you will be plunged into a high-stakes emergency. Phoebe (Lacey Katena), a teenage girl, has vanished. Her friend Mari, determined and sharp, vows not to stop until she’s found. Mari’s determination is absolute. Being a trafficking survivor herself, she is portrayed with steely resolve and emotional depth by Josie Juliette Wert. The central mystery, uncovering who took Phoebe and why, is layered with menace and is enhanced by elements like a “sinister website” that we see flicker on-screen.
The trailer pulsates with urgency. There are quick cuts of empty bedrooms, a spinning camera lens, and that ominous close-up on a flickering website link. The tension is palpable. The prison‑like interiors, shadow-laced underpasses, and flashes of red–blue police strobes, all whisper danger. The low-frequency throbs, distant echoes, sudden silences, create an immersive, anxiety-fuelled atmosphere. The trailer is further punctuated by voice-over snippets. Mari’s voice, halting yet fierce: “They think I’m broken… prove them wrong.” These moments suggest that behind the thriller beats a story of personal redemption and trauma recovery.
Mari dominates the trailer. Her glare and furtive glances hint at both inner strength and vulnerability. Damien (Kellan Jackson) steps in as Mari’s old friend; their chemistry is tense and trusting, yet suspicion underscores the plot’s uncertainty. Arthur (Michael Mau), playing an investigating detective, brings a weighty, world-worn charm as he questions Mari in a dim-lit station office.
If suspense is your addiction and you’re drawn to thrillers anchored by strong lead characters, this trailer’s offering is a rich tease.
Geek Verdict:
Sugarcane looks like a thriller that is driven by character, crafted with intent, and unafraid to confront ugly truths. If the movie lives up to its trailer, June 13 could deliver a sharp and a powerful story worth talking about
About Sugarcane
Synopsis: The race against a sadistic serial killer is on as a trafficking survivor relentlessly works to track down a teenage girl whose fate becomes increasingly grim with each passing hour since her abduction.
Genre: Horror • Mystery • Thriller
Director: Pat Baker • Darryl Postley Jr.
Stars: Josie Juliette Wert • Kellan Jackson • Lacey Katena
Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes
Release Date: June 13, 2025
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After 28 years in corporate life, I swapped spreadsheets for screenplays and now write movie reviews and celebrity articles for Geekhub. It’s been a year of creative freedom, storytelling, and loving what I do—plus the occasional dramatic reaction to plot twists. No more meetings, just movies—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
