Making its US premier at Fantastic Fest was the latest film by the Adams family (Hellbender, Where the Devil Roams), Mother of Flies. Writing and directing trio Zelda Adams, Toby Poser, and John Adams are back at it, this time crafting a deeply personal piece of folk horror. The film follows a young woman with a terminal diagnosis seeking help from a mysterious witch. Along with her father, the young woman begins to realize her possible cure comes at a dangerous cost.

As Mother of Flies begins, audiences are introduced to Mickey and her father, Jake. Mickey recently learned her cancer has come back, and she’s short of finances and options to overcome it this time. After being contacted by a mysterious woman named Solveig who claims she has a cure, Mickey convinces Jake to travel to the middle of nowhere to get it. Mickey is told Solveig’s cure is free, but nothing is ever truly free. Mother of Flies might be the Adams family’s best film yet and that’s in large part because of how personal the story is. Both Poser and John Adams have had their own battles with cancer. The thought of your child going through something like that is every parent’s worst nightmare. This story shows the lengths people will go to in order to fight this illness, especially when your child is involved, even when modern medicine fails and there’s not enough money for treatments. Weaving in the witchcraft and folk horror elements speaks to the beauty and life that can come from death while crafting a fascinating lore that sounds like a sinister fairy tale. One could even say there’s a respect and reverence for death, making it clear death is a powerful and important part of life. It also adds to the tension, mystery, and supernatural terror of the film. Not only did the Adams family create a beautiful film highlighting sickness, grief, and death that’s compelling, but they also did it in a way that feels cathartic to watch.

As usual, the Adams family knocks out their performances in Mother of Flies. Zelda Adams (Hellbender, Where the Devil Roams) plays Mickey. This is an all-time performance for Adams. She does a fantastic job of showing Mickey knows she’s run out of options. She outwardly seems calm and confident the witchy ritual can cure her, but there are cracks in her mask that shows the pain and fear she tries so hard to hide. Adams also delivers a wonderful physical performance, highlighting her character’s physical deterioration from both her sickness and the taxing rituals. Toby Poser (Hellbender, Where the Devil Roams) plays the witch, Solveig. Poser is absolutely fantastic in this role, speaking and acting as if Solveig came from a very different time, disconnected from the rest of the world. It also allows her to bring a sense of mystery to the character. Is she really there to help Mickey, or does she have some darker purpose? Whatever her goal, Poser adds a commanding, almost regal air to the character. John Adams (Hellbender, Where the Devil Roams) plays Mickey’s father, Jake. Jake is willing to do whatever his daughter wants at this stage of her illness. Yet Adams makes it abundantly clear he’s unbelieving when it comes to the witchcraft and he’s only there because he loves his daughter. The dynamics between the three characters is so fascinating to watch. The Adams family’s personal connection to this story also brings an emotional depth to the performances that will grip the hearts of audiences.

When it comes to the visuals and music in Mother of Flies, fans of their work will recognize the Adams family’s signature style. The visual style has a dark, gritty, haunting appearance brought to life with striking cinematography. It enhances the forest locations while also adding beauty to the decay and grime of death. Solveig’s house was created with a very realistic looking CGI exterior and interior rooms filmed in a real house. The home is stunning inside and out, merging the outdoors with the home in a way that makes the setting seem deeply connected to nature. For the more gruesome visual elements related to death, the filmmakers used primarily practical effects with some CGI enhancements. It allows for even the most gruesome scene to be gorgeous, in keeping with the theme of death being a beautiful part of life. The Adams family also composed the score for the film, which includes a few amazing new original songs by the family band, H6LLB6ND6R. Incorporated throughout the film is the sound of buzzing flies, often closely connected with decay, which is haunting and rather unnerving.

Mother of Flies is a deeply personal film for the Adams family, using folk horror to tell a beautiful story of life and death. It also seems to be the most polished work by the Adams family, making it a definitive standout in their filmography. Zelda Adams, Toby Poser, and John Adams are a force of nature, creating brilliant indie horror films and delivering moving performances. It’s the kind of film that forces the audience to really take a close look at all aspects of death. It’s grotesque, gorgeous, enthralling, and cathartic in a way few filmmakers have achieved, save perhaps the Adams family and Guillermo del Toro. While there’s currently no release date set for Mother of Flies, their previous films have all been Shudder originals, so be sure to keep an eye out for it. This is a film folk horror fans won’t want to miss.

OVERALL RATING: 9/10