[Film Review] Mind Leech (2023)

Just when you thought ice fishing would be boring, Mind Leech finds a way to pass the time— not with beer or music —but with a parasitic mind-controlling invertebrate. Set in a small town, specifically in 1998, police officers are met with a new foe, an unnervingly large leech which of course was created by a poor mishandling of a toxic substance in the local lake. This leech doesn’t simply suck blood from its host but takes over their host’s body putting them in a fitful rage, killing anyone who crosses their path.

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This film is an oddity in all the best ways, a short fast-paced low-budget indie horror movie it gives reminisce of Sharknado, Llamageddon, and Zombeavers except in a Fargo-esque setting. The physical comedy of the actors is r what sells the movie, their commitment and unfearful engagement with this unique animal monster is what draws the audience into having a fun filled engagement themselves. An important note to make with this film is the plot relies on well known archetypes (new police officer from the city moving to a small town after a traumatic event, toxic waste creating a evolved creature, the only survivor is thought to have killed everyone, etc.) but it is these familiarities that allow the audience to take in the monster development. 

Chris Cheeseman and Paul Krysinski, co-directors of Mind Leech, both have backgrounds in special effects working on horror movies like Jigsaw (2017), Spiral (2021), and the TV series Chucky (2021). Their combined skill and insight into horror film productions were put to good use in developing Mind Leech, being both their directorial film debuts (Krysinski was a featured director for the TV series Dark Before Dawn). Unlike their other horror movie engagements, there are great moments for amusement as we see how the townsfolk react to this unexpected creature.

The new police officer seems to be the sole survivor of the mind leech’s rampage, the only person who knows the truth about the horrors this leech might have if it ever captures another human as its host. The film sets itself up for the leech to reprise its role in a possible sequel, except this time, it isn’t just the lake we have to be worried about but a larger body of water, the ocean. Currently holding a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes this film holds the attention and support of many audiences.

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