Mind Leech – Movie Review (3/5)

MIND LEECH is a new horror movie with a short runtime and a strong story. It may be low on budget but it’s clearly high on passion, and – most importantly – a really solid horror movie. We’re ready for a sequel. Read our full Mind Leech movie review here!

MIND LEECH is a horror movie from Canada with a runtime of just around one hour. Short and to the point, which is exactly what this kind of story needs. Also, enough humor to make the story work. As the title indicated, we’re dealing with a leech that manages to take over the mind of the person it bites.

This is a low-budget production that could easily end up getting a cult following. One of our favorite things about running Heaven of Horror is discovering these little horror gems. And, more importantly, getting other people to discover them, so the filmmakers can go on to make even more horror productions!

Continue reading our Mind Leech movie review below. The movie is out on VOD now.

Welcome to rural Provinstate in 1998

This short story plays out in 1998 in rural Provinstate which means no cellphones and lots of snow. We begin with a classic monster horror opening; A few guys throw an unknown chemical into the local lake in the summertime. It’s their job to get rid of the chemicals and they really don’t think much of it.

Well, one of them does, but not enough to change their course of action.

A few months later, in the dead of winter, two friends are out ice fishing. They go every year and never really catch anything, but this time they do; A leech that attaches itself to the temple of its victim and takes over their brain function. Like a parasite almost (or that darn fungus in The Last of Us).

Seeing the victims of the Mind Leech move around, and attempt to control its human host, is a treat in itself.

A strong lead in a cool movie

Another huge treat comes from the local police who are tasked with hunting down this large and creepy invertebrate. While both police officers are very entertaining, it’s easy to see why the trailer features Steff Ivory Conover so heavily. She is simply brilliant and seeing her be fearless (while running around in the snow on tippy toes) is perfect!

Deputy Terrika (TJ) Johnson (Steff Ivory Conover) was working as a police officer in the big city until recently, so nothing faces her much. She’s quick to action and seems very much at home with keeping dispatch updated. A small thing, but one that makes the story feel more real.

Yes, real. Despite the core element of this story being a mind-controlling leech.

To be fair though, the entire (fairly small) cast delivers nothing but good moments.

Never underestimate monster horror

A movie like the hugely popular (and amazing) South Korean monster horror movie The Host (org. title Gwoemul) from 2006 had a similar opening to Mind Leech. Though that story doesn’t play out in rural Canada, but in a big city in South Korea.

Also, that monster horror movie was directed by Bong Joon Ho who went on to win multiple Academy Awards with his 2019 movie Parasite.

And sure, I know The Host didn’t have a low budget, but what I’m getting at is simply that you should never underestimate monster horror movies – or those who create them. Just three years before James Cameron directed Terminator (1984), his official feature film debut as a director was Piranha Part Two: The Spawning (1981) which he also co-wrote.

Watch Mind Leech now!

The directors of Mind Leech are Chris Cheeseman and Paul Krysinski, who are both in the movie as well. The story comes from Chris Cheeseman, while the screenplay is credited to several of the cast members.

Both directors have experience working with special effects on huge productions. Chris Cheeseman worked with special effects on genre movies such as Jigsaw (2017) to Awake (2021). Paul Krysinski worked on Spiral: From the Legacy of Saw (2021), V/H/S/94, and the Chucky TV series.

What Mind Leech lacks in sound quality (watch any low-budget movie to realize how difficult good sound is), it more than makes up for in the quality of the story, acting, humor, and bloody monster gore!

Besides, this movie does actually have a better sound quality than many genre films with quite impressive budgets. It’s not an issue for the movie-watching experience, just proof that sound quality means a lot for a movie and isn’t easy (or cheap) if you want a good result.

Mind Leech is released directly from the filmmakers, so you can rent it right here at www.mindleech.com

Details

Directors: Chris Cheeseman, Paul Krysinski
Stars: Steff Ivory Conover, Mischa O’Hoski, Ryan Brown, Jeff William Campbell, Chris Cheeseman, Sarah Gates, Paul Krysinski