“The Leech” Movie Review

 

“The Leech”

Movie Review

The Leech is an American holiday comedy horror film directed by Eric Pennycoff and starring Jeremy Gardner, Taylor Zaudtke and Graham Skipper.

Leech opens in an almost empty church as Father David, played by Graham Skipper, finishes his sermon on the Golden Rule. Afterwards, Terry, played by Jeremy Gardner, is found asleep on a pedestal. He claims to be homeless, and to avoid sleeping under a bridge, David lets him spend the night at his place.

After less than Christlike behavior from his guest, he returns to his church to hear the confession of a woman who is considering an abortion with an unplanned pregnancy. Best of all, not only is Terry there when he returns home, but his girlfriend Lexi, played by Taylor Saatke, is with him. Convinced that it was she who spoke to him, he invited them to stay with him. It's a decision he regrets as the couple gives new meaning to "give them an inch and they'll take a mile."

With the only character being Father David's assistant Rigo, writer/director Eric Pennycoff creates a wicked mix of psychological horror and pure black comedy as David tries to save the couple. But not only do they not want to be saved, they also want to drag their host down with them. If not, destroy him completely.

The film plays on the comedy of the absurd as Lexie and Terry test father David's boundaries and sees how far he can push them, as he tries in vain to maintain order. But as the film progresses, David's motivations increase and his sanity begins to slip away from the film's tone.

In the last half hour, The Leech takes on an ominous sign as David is pushed too far and madness makes its presence felt. Romel Genciana's cinematography and Bobby Sherbert's editing underscore the events of the finale. As The Leech's story resonates with madness, the visuals are also distracting.

Obviously, a character-driven movie like The Leech needs a solid performance if it's to work. As this is his first feature after appearing in a few short films, Carey is perfect in a supporting role. However, all three leads are great. Gardner and Skipper are indie horror mainstays and have appeared together several times before. Zaudtke has considerable talent despite her lack of experience and has great chemistry with Gardner as she is his real-life wife.

It also helps that the actors play exaggerated versions of people most of us know. We have all met good people who are willing to help those in need. And we have the predicament of crossing paths with freeloaders who take whatever they're offered and shamelessly ask for more. Terry and Lexie take it to sociopath levels and he becomes a dangerous version of the downstairs neighbor who always needs to borrow something and hitch a ride somewhere. Ultimately, The Leech is a carefree film that gets humor and menace under the viewer's skin. This is a Christmas scare for those looking for something a little more appealing than Satanic Clauses and horror toys.

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