PLOT: When a young woman faces a deadly diagnosis, she seeks dark magic from a witch in the woods – but every cure has costs
REVIEW: There are few filmmaking families out in the world, and even fewer have the uniqueness of the Adams Family (notice the spelling; there’s no snapping of fingers in this family). They have such a unique perspective with their films, and even when it doesn’t work, they’re providing something so unlike any other film that’s out there. And Mother of Flies continues that tradition, giving us a unique look at the standard witch tale.
The story follows Mickey (Zelda Adams) who, after a bad diagnosis, seeks alternate methods to improve her health. Her father (John Adams) joins her as they seek out Solveig (Toby Poser), an old witch in the woods who has promised to heal Mickey. He’s skeptical but Mickey is all out of options, with this being a shot in the dark that she’s willing to take. Cancer takes hold and breaks apart many families, so it’s easy to connect to this element of the narrative. There’s a desperation to get rid of this death knell, embracing a certain type of poison in order to eliminate the disease. And at no point do the lengths they go through feel unearned.
Zelda excels at the emotional moments, really laying her soul bare on screen. Toby has always been so impressive and underrated, and here is no different. John isn’t quite able to connect in the same way, but his strength has always been behind the camera. Some of the other actors that show up are a little off, which took me out of the movie a bit, but it’s not as egregious as past work. But it’s easily the weakest part of the film.
Zelda, John, and Toby all share directing, writing, and composing duties, really showcasing their multi-talented approach. I really felt like Hellhole was the family leveling up their technical skills behind the camera, and they’ve continued on that path here. Whether it’s pulling focus or cutting at just the right time, there’s a maturity present that allows their poetic visual storytelling to shine. The imagery and visual language of the film are where this really excels. From the absolutely gorgeous shots of nature to the creepy imagery of flies, maggots, and snakes, it all coalesces into a beautifully eerie palette. Outside of a few small moments, the FX work is fantastic, blending in seamlessly with the practical world around it.
While the film is often textured with the sounds of nature, when the score kicks in, it really leaves an impact. I’ve always loved the Adams’ usage of original rock music, and here it is no different. They’re much more precious with when they use these music cues, but that just makes them work even more to the story’s favor.
Like most Adams Family films, Mother of Flies isn’t going to be for everyone. It’s very straightforward in its approach and doesn’t tread off the beaten path too much in terms of story. But its execution is impressive, with the performances from Zelda and Toby being standouts. This is a classic witch story that comments on the complicated ways we deal with attempting to eliminate diseases. It’s going to be a while until general audiences are able to experience this, so hopefully you’ll be able to check it out on the festival circuit as it’s more than worth the price of admission.
MOTHER OF FLIES IS CURRENTLY PLAYING AT FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND WILL STREAM ON SHUDDER IN 2026.
