THE Malaysians certainly like their horror movies, and in recent times have proved a real dab hand at raising pulse rates and getting those little hairs on the backs of our neck standing on end.
New to Shudder, Blood Flower joins a recent spate of top notch folk-horror films out of Malaysia such as Roh, Munafik, and Khurafat.
Directed by Dain Said, Blood Flower is a coming of age exorcism tale that is more creepy and edgy than anything else I have seen out of Southeast Asia in sometime.
A demonic horror with a unique plotline, it follows 16-year-old Iqbal (Idan Aedan), an apprentice healer who longs to be normal so he can fit in with the other kids in his apartment building.
Iqbal shares his mother’s supernatural gift to see spirits, but when she tragically dies during an exorcism, he tries to suppress his abilities and to rid himself of the grief and guilt that consumes him. Struck down by nightmarish visions, he can no longer bear the burden of the nightmarish visions that torment him and refuses to carry on the family tradition.
The heartbroken boy soon discovers that being the same as everyone else comes at a heavy cost and when he and his friends unwittingly unleash a malicious spirit lurking in a greenhouse, he is forced to overcome his fears to save his family and dearest friends.
Steeped in Malaysian folklore and Islamic beliefs, Blood Flower is a tense and dynamic horror with fantastical visual effects and startling jump scares as well as a requisite amount of blood and gore.
A dramatic and emotional watch, it brings to mind gothic horror films such as The Devil’s Backbone or the more malevolent work of James Wan such as The Conjuring and Insidious.
Fans of Asian cinema will definitely find plenty to savour in this one.
(3/5)
