The Seed has a lot of interesting ideas at play. Heather (Sophie Vavasseur) and Deidre (Lucy Martin) are two social media influencers who along with their friend Charlotte (Chelsea Edge) head out to the Mojave Desert to livestream a meteor shower. They soon find themselves without cell phone signal or a way to get to civilization. They are also stuck with a mysterious creature that fell from the sky.
The film starts by introducing its leads. Charlotte does not do social media while Heather does all the worrying for the group. Deidre is the clear leader and is responsible for some of the best lines in The Seed. While there is an excellent job of establishing the group dynamics, the individuals are never explored beyond their roles defined between each other. The performances are able to power through this, but as the plot demands more, it becomes noticeable.
This leads to some weird interactions. Characters seem to be acting in a way they normally would not, but there is really no way to accurately tell if that is actually the case. This means when The Seed tries to bring conflict into the mix, it does not quite connect with the audience as well as it should. It is just a group of friends who either argue, gang up on, or support each other. It is inconsistent and distracting.
This is an apt description for the entire film. There is a very clear plot for the first half of The Seed that is completely disregarded once the creature enters the picture. The plot goes with a mystery angle for a short while, but quick cut visuals and sex scenes soon take over. What is disappointing is that even then, The Seed has something to work with. There is a sexual energy that is foreshadowed early and teased throughout that ends up going nowhere. Inventive visuals including graphic kills and grotesque body horror are found in the latter half of the movie. There is even a fun twist ending. It is unfortunate the entire film is unable to deliver.
The Seed comes to Shudder March 10
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