Evan Showalter’s The Leaching is a slow-burn creature feature that starts off strong, building dread with twisted turns and uncertainty, layering fever-dream Gallio visuals that show artistic bite—although it could use a tad less talking, and more bloodthirsty leaches.
The film follows a young woman (Reese Parish) who shockingly wakes up in a shallow ditch in the remote woods. She’s soon spotted and taken to a house nearby, only to realize she can’t remember what happened, where they are, or even who she is.
Ellis (DeVaughn Loman), the man who rescued her claims to be her adoptive father. From a home movie showing the young woman and Ellis, we surmise that her name is Vivian, she suffers from amnesia, and that her late-night forest trips are a regular and irritating occurrence. Tired from her forays, she bids Ellis goodnight, but is quickly warned that the attic is off limits because of dangerous mold–but she shouldn’t worry about that. But of course, this strange restriction makes her uneasy, and her curiosity grows while she finds herself beckoned by some other forces to the attic. It’s immediately clear that Ellis is deeply religious and takes his faith seriously. This becomes a heavy topic throughout the film, with things not quite adding up when Ellis isn’t as forthcoming with Vivian, starts acting erratically and becomes more secretive.
“… a young woman shockingly wakes up in a shallow ditch in the remote woods …”
Vivian begins to see unsettling visions of another woman and flashes of abstract memories, and she must choose whether to risk everything for a chance at answers about both her and Ellis’s mysterious pasts or if being the perfect daughter is enough.
While I would have preferred more horror elements throughout and fewer long, preachy dialogues, I did enjoy the killer, realistic-looking limbs and gore. The scenes with the Leech creature (Dylan Obrochta) are compelling, with standout performances from Obrochta, who gives us a very tortured, sympathetic character. The creature effects were decently done, with an interesting mask design that I wish had been carried throughout the body. Half of the Leech’s scenes were performed through hand gestures, which kept audiences focused on the creature’s lackluster arms, hands, and nail makeup throughout these long passages.
It’s important for filmmakers, but especially genre filmmakers, to know their audiences. I’m a massive special makeup effects enthusiast, and most horror fans like myself revel in the nuances of a monster or creature design in this type of creature feature—so going that extra mile with fully realized creature effects or cutting corners with out-of-the-box unfinished and ill-fitting nail extensions can either make or break a film for us, no matter what the budget. The story juggles a lot of ideas without clearly answering them, but makes up for it with an eerie atmosphere and creature carnage!
The Leaching makes for a wild watch if you enjoy backwoods religious cosmic horror.
"…Vivian must choose whether to risk everything for a chance at answers or if being the perfect daughter is enough."
