Review: The Unhealer

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

The Unhealer
Directed by Martin Guigui
VMI Worldwide; Horror Business Films; Sunset Pictures; 7 Ideas; Guard Dog Productions; Bloodstone Films; Gama Entertainment Partners; Scream Factory
94 minutes, 2021
www.facebook.com/theunhealermovie

Generally speaking, viewers and collectors who are really, really into genre films often tend to stand out (fashion style, direction of conversations, cosplay, etc.), and are frequently viewed as “Other” by the mainstream, and are thereby threatened to be bullied. This is especially true to those in pre-college years. The idea of revenge against those who would pick on my people is a force that is strong, and is represented in many a story, such as Christine (1983), The Craft (1996), Devil’s Domain (2017; reviewed HERE), and now there are at least two recent films about mystical tree creatures helping the protagonist get their vengeance. While not supernatural in nature, one could even include Heathers (1998). But this trope tends to come with a price for the bullied, as well. Double whammy for those abused on both ends in those cases! I call these “It’s bad but it could be worse” stories, telling us nerds/goths/etc. to keep in our place. Okay, I will get off my digression soapbox now.

Elijah Nelson

The story I am about to watch, The Unhealer, is a bullied-youth-getting-revenge-through-supernatural-means tale. That is easily gotten from just the trailer, and the catch phrase for the release, “With great power comes great pain,” borrowing liberally from the Spider-Man bon mot.

Much like Ellen Burstyn’s character in the excellent and seemingly nearly forgotten Resurrection (1980), Pflueger (the always wonderful Lance Henricksen in an extended cameo appearance) has the power to heal, in his case thanks to a magic ritual performed in the opening scene (so no spoilers).

Natasha Henstridge

We also get to meet our beaten protagonist (I’ll call him that, rather than hero), Kelly (Elijah Nelson). He has his own problems, foremost ingesting the inedible, such as Styrofoam containers and pencils. This is a real eating disorder called Pica. The classic group of four mining town high schoolmate bullies throw him in garbage cans and call him “Trash Boy.” You know, the generic bully clique cliché. For example, the one African-American of the group, Tucker (Mike Gray), consistently wears a tee that reads “Bad Mother Tucker.” Is that the only shirt he owns or is that due to the film’s budget after paying some higher-known actors? Not a complaint in any way, just a thought.

Kelly has three supporters, the first being the woman who runs the local grocery/deli, Paulette (Shelby James), a female schoolmate and possible love interest, Dominique (Kayla Carlson) who is often surrounded in the film with yellow tones that indicate hope and positivity, and especially his mom, Bernice (always nice to see Natasha Henstridge, who also was a producer).

Kayla Carlson

We learn a bit about the power from Red Elk (Branscombe Richmond), a First Nations/American Indian who a guardian of the healing ability, and tries to save the very belligerent and racist Pflueger in a scene that is solid Henricksen at his enjoyable style of bellicosity that is beautiful to watch; left me with a big smile. Pflueger has been hired to “heal” Kelly of his Pica (wait…now I get it…Pica-chew; oops, second digression…).

In a case of “I’m rubber, you’re glue,” whatever happens to Kelly does not hurt him, but rather the person who attacks him suffers the same consequence. For example, if you slap the power possessor, the slapper feels the pain, not the slapee. The fun part is when the teenage hormones start kickin’ in. Of course, Red Elk is going to try to be the voice of reason through the insanity to follow.

As these stories go, it never just calms down but nearly always escalates. The bullies don’t learn, they just get more determined as they don’t understand what is happening. Tormenters are often not the smartest of us; just look at the Marjorie Taylor Greenes and Lauren Boeberts. This is indicated here by a dad of two of the malicious miscreants who is the school’s open-mouth gum-chewin’ football coach that encourages their actions (“Boys will be boys,” he dismissively says to Bernice).

Adam Beach

Will Kelly manage to harness his power for good like the aforementioned Spidey, or will it twist him into something like Gollum that is as bad and annoying as those who pick on him, if not worse after the bullies take it a step too far which opens the door to ever increasing malevolence all around? To paraphrase the jingle for Last House on the Left (1972), “…Keep repeating, ‘It’s in the catch phrase, it’s in the catch phrase, it’s in the catch phrase …’”

Even though the story’s trajectory is pretty evident from early on, the director and classically trained musician Guigui is talented enough as a filmmaker to keep the interest high. There were a couple of holes, such as two cases where Kelly could have healed someone by holding them, but nada because it would have made the final act unnecessary, but I can forgive that. There were also, in contrast, a couple of nice surprise twists here and there that were quite welcome, as well.

Natasha Henstridge, Lance Henricksen

The blood and gore factor by Kate Klein is definitely an additional help, used with just the right touch, rather than being stingy or over the top in blood slop. The attractive and talented cast help, as well. While there is a nice chemistry between Nelson and Carlson, there is an incredibly enjoyable talent spark in the scene between laid back Henstridge and high-tension Henricksen (I dare ya to spell those names three times fast). I would like to also mention Adam Beach (star of the Canadian “Artic Air” television series), who once again plays a member of the police force. Moreover, the beautiful and sometimes stark Arizona landscape is one of the subtle characters that informs the story.

Overall, it was a fun yarn competently told, with the minor warts and all, and this is a nice and welcome addition to the revenge of the bullied subgenre.

The Unhealer is available on Blu-ray, Digital HD, Apple VOD, Spotify VOD, TubiTV, and other Cable VOD.

IMDB HERE: