Seeds (3/5) – Movie Review

SEEDS is a horror thriller that will no doubt rub a lot of people the wrong way. I certainly found myself feeling very uncomfortable, but this is obviously the point of the story. It works especially well because the acting is extremely good. Read more in our full Seeds review here!

Seeds is a horror thriller with a very delicate subject. The main protagonist, Marcus, tries to fight his own urges, but is constantly confronted with new temptations.

The main issues are with Marcus’ desire for his own teenager niece, Lily. Since he has known her all her life, we’re dealing with issues like incest and pedophilia. However, he does not want to act on his feelings. To the audience, his desires are shown as an actual illness that manifests physically.

Read more in our full Seeds review below!

Trevor Long is extremly impressive as Marcus

The main character in Seeds is played by Trevor Long and his portrayal of Marcus Milton is absolutely brilliant.

Admittedly, I’ve been very fond of Trevor Long ever since watching him in the Netflix series Ozark. In that series, he was a deadbeat dad who couldn’t care less about his kids unless they could do something for him. In Seeds, he’s a man who cares way too much for his niece.

What’s even more fascinating is the way he looks. Trevor Long must have lost quite a lot of weight for this character which makes him look even more vulnerable and broken. In many ways, his exterior is a true reflection of his interior and it works incredibly well. 

A difficult but strong story

Even though you shouldn’t care for Marcus, you can’t help but do just this. He’s a very polite and proper man, who moves back into the family home after a very dramatic opening scene. Having moved back home, he’s now close to his brother, sister-in-law, nephew and that niece, Lily, he cannot stop thinking about. 

For the record, she is a teenager who visually comes across as a “young woman”. In other words, you won’t be seeing a very grown man lust after a child. Also, you won’t really see him lust after her at all. He tries to keep his distance while also being drawn to her.

I know, it sound horrible and it really is. But it’s also a very real thing that people (both perpetrators and victims) deal with in real life. What does make it work is the acting of Trevor Long as Marcus and Andrea Chen as Lily.

Watch Seeds if you can handle it!

Obviously, since the topic of Seeds deals with both pedophilia and incest, it’s a tough watch. However, and this is very important, it is in no way condoned. Instead, what we see is a man struggling with his feelings and desires.

My issue with the movie is the fact that the teenage girl becomes way too much of a Lolita charcter for my liking. Once again, the important point is the fact that this is never meant to excuse the adult male’s behavior. Instead, it’s to show how he will react when pushed to extremes.

Owen Long directed Seeds and also came up with the story. And yes, director Owen Long and lead actor Trevor Long are related – they’re brothers.

The screenplay was written by Steven Weisman. Whatever you may think of the story, Seeds is undeniably a very well-made and stunning movie to watch. Also, the story does push and confront your own feelings about the main character which I found fascinating!

SEEDS is out in theaters September 13, 2019 and on VOD/DVD September 24, 2019.

Details

Director: Owen Long
Writers: Owen Long (story), Steven Weisman (screenplay)
Stars: Trevor Long, Andrea Chen, Garr Long, and Kevin Breznahan

Plot

After a night of debauchery spirals out of control, Marcus retreats to his family home along the New England coast. Solitude is disturbed when his brother asks Marcus to look after his estranged nephew and niece. As days pass, solace escapes him; he feels baited by a dark force. Is he losing his mind or has something terrible burrowed deep within him? Incubating. Waiting until the climate is right. Haunted by his deepest fears, Marcus struggles not to succumb as he fights to protect Lily, his beloved niece from a monster that lies in wait.