A fantastically gory thriller from director Chris Cheeseman and Paul Krysinski, Mind Leech combines the snow and the wit of Fargo with the creepy crawlies of Tremors. The result is a film with all the hallmarks of a cult classic.
A mysterious canister is dumped in a remote lake resulting in a mutant leech on the loose. The leech is a parasite, attaching itself to human hosts and taking over control of the brain. The leech uses the body of the host for transportation, its end goal being the sea. A bloody and violent journey ensues, beginning with a fisherman who dreams, ironically, of a bigger lake. Like the leech, Craig (Paul Krysinski) wants to expand his horizons and leave behind the hole in the ice he’s been fishing for years. But becoming host to a parasitic leech certainly wasn’t part of his plan. The leech attack leaves Craig’s fishing partner dead, and their cabin in flames. The now zombie-like Craig heads off on the snowmobile to a nearby house where he/it claims two more victims. Swapping the snowmobile for a truck, the leech plots a course towards the sea.
Following its path of devastation are two cops, Sheriff Benjamin Pailey and Deputy ‘TJ’ Johnson. Johnson was once a cop in the city, but moved with her partner to the country. She has hopes of climbing the ladder within the force and shares a great rapport with Sheriff Pailey. Steff Ivory Conover stars as the deputy, suffusing the film with humour and wit. She brings a certain centre to the film around which the wild plot unfolds, holding this position with great flair. Mischa O’Hoski as the Sheriff similarly maintains a central position, and the on-screen relationship between the two is very entertaining. Their dry humour and generally laid-back attitude balances the film perfectly, preventing it from taking itself too seriously while still creating an excellent level of tension and drama. The fact that much of the film was improvised, both in front of and behind the camera, makes the harmony and flow of the film even more impressive. It also perhaps part of the reason the actors all seem so comfortable in their characters – they had a great deal to do with the writing of their own lines and creation of their own personas.
Director Chris Cheeseman builds tension expertly, pulling the expectations of the audience any which way he wants. Cheeseman makes the most of the opportunities for jump-scares and gross-out horror. He carefully chooses when and where to include these elements which prevents them from becoming gimmicky or predictable. Here we must pay respect to the Make-Up Department. Daniel Baker and Chris Cooper work wonders with the fake blood, creating very believable wounds that make you wince just looking at them. Hugh Goodden in the Art Department and Alanna Shearman as Location Scout work together to create an eerie mise-en-scene. The snowy wasteland is a perfect location for this bizarre story to be set – there simply aren’t any people around to corroborate the events, a fact which leaves Deputy Johnson in trouble at the end of the film. The special/visual effects are another highlight – every time the leech appears on screen I felt a twinge of discomfort. The way the team have created the creature and depicted how it latches on to humans is truly horrifying.
The film is extremely entertaining from beginning to end. A squeamish nightmare with a great cast of characters (even the leech played a great part). Mind Leech is a fantastic example of what teamwork, trust and creative ingenuity can achieve. Brilliant direction from Chris Cheeseman, and a story you aren’t likely to forget.
Watch the trailer below (if you dare!)