Mother of Flies (2025)
Mother of Flies is the latest folk horror film by the Adams family (not to be confused with the Addams family, although both families are creepy and kooky, and I mean that as a compliment): father Jon Adams, mother Toby Poser, and daughters Zelda and Lulu.
Mickey (Zelda Adams) is a college student with terminal cancer. All the conventional treatments have failed her, but she clings to a last ditch hope: a mystical cure from a mysterious witch, Solveig (Toby Poser) who lives deep in the woods.
Solveig claims to know a magical procedure that will remove the cancer from Mickey’s body, and offers to perform it at no cost. The desperate girl is accompanied by her reluctant and skeptical father, Jake (John Adams). He warns his daughter that nothing is ever free, and the witch must want something in return. Mickey points out that she has nothing left to lose, so why not give Solveig a chance?
I totally understood both of their points of view. Jake and Mickey have a believable father-daughter relationship dynamic, which makes sense, considering that they’re played by a real father and daughter. This duo gives heartfelt, if unpolished, performances. You’re not going to find Oscar worthy acting or dialogue here, but is anyone really expecting that from a movie like this?
Poser, who is the best actress of the group, plays a witch again. Her character in Hellbender was the well-meaning but misguided mother of a teen daughter. Here, she’s an eccentric recluse who may be a miracle healer, a con artist, or something in between.
I won’t spoil this movie’s twists, but it certainly kept me guessing about Solveig’s true motivations. Zelda’s sister Lulu pops in for an amusing cameo as a hotel clerk who provides one of the story’s most significant revelations.
Mother of Flies appears to have a higher budget than Hellbender. The Adams family has made several movies, but that’s the only other one I’ve seen. I’m hoping that Hellbender made them a nice profit that they were able to reinvest here.
The cinematography is impressive, especially for a low budget indy. The vibrant fall colors of Solveig’s forest add a touch of beauty and life to this somber story. The special effects are certainly better than the bargain basement effects in Hellbender.
In terms of story and characters, I found Hellbender more compelling. Izzy’s coming of age story was more interesting to me than this premise. Hellbender also has a more consistent pace. The first half of Mother of Flies is slow and contemplative, but it transitions into a rapid surge toward the end.
The fact that this family has been able to complete several films while handling nearly every aspect of the production themselves is remarkable. I’m excited to see their future projects as they continue to develop their craft.
Rating
Mother of Flies is another solid effort from the Adams family and will likely please viewers who enjoyed their previous works.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 1 (masterpiece): 7
