[FrightFest 2025] FILM REVIEW: Mother of Flies

Mother of Flies - FrightFest UK Premiere Review

Director: Toby Poser, John Adams, Zelda Adams

Starring: Toby Poser, John Adams, Zelda Adams, Lulu Adams

Written by: Toby Poser, John Adams, Zelda Adams

Produced by: Toby Poser

Cinematography by: John Adams. Zelda Adams

Original Score by: Toby Poser, John Adams, Zelda Adams

Synopsis:

When a young woman faces a deadly diagnosis, she seeks dark magic from a witch in the woods - but every cure has costs.

Thoughts:

The evolution of the Adams family as a collective group of filmmakers has been fascinating to watch over the years. Since their breakout films like 'The Deeper You Dig' and 'Hellbender' they have pushed the scope of their filmmaking in terms of scale. Their period horror, 'Where the Devil Roams' and monster movie 'Hell Hole' showed their ambition despite budgetary limitations crafting familiar tales with their own unique twist on them. It is their personal touch in every aspect of the process both in front of and behind the camera that has helped them to achieve success within the genre. Their latest film 'Mother of Flies' really embodies this as it feels like a throwback to their earlier films embarking on familiar witchy territory. 

The film follows a young college student, Mickey (Zelda Adams) who suffers from cancer. Having gone through every conventional method to cure her of her ailment she travels with her father, Jake (John Adams) to visit a witch in the woods called Solveig (Toby Poser) in the hope that they can heal her not knowing that it comes at a great price. 

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After the gruesome fun of 'Hell Hole', this one feels like a complete turn in the opposite direction as it is a solemn tale about the relationship between life and death. The pace at which the film moves is one that feels like a funeral march as Mickey and her father are slowly drawn into the world of Solveig's dark magic. There is a lingering sense of death that hangs over the entire film through the soundscape and the still to slow movement of the camera but it works wonderfully in contrast with the vitality of the imagery of the Catskill Mountain forests where the film is shot. When these two elements combine it creates a sense of poignancy. Anytime you watch Mickey, a young woman carrying the burden of her illness reflected in her darkened eyes and pale skin walking through a lush green forest full of life, it can be quite moving. 

The Adams Family usually shoot a lot of their films in this location and with 'Mother of Flies' it has never looked better. Some of the shots which show the light piercing the branches of the trees are just breathtaking showing how John and Zelda Adams have a keen eye at finding the perfect shot at the perfect moment. Over a lot of these shots is Poser's narration as Solveig which feels almost like primordial poetry. There is a darkness to it but the manner in which it is delivered lulls the viewer into a sense of ease as it worms its way through your mind. Often this false sense of security is shattered in an instant with moments of sharp visceral horror (handled brilliantly by visual FX artist, Trey Lindsay) that acts as a warning to the audience to stay on their toes. 

Whilst this is a family effort it feels very much like this is Toby Poser's film. She has a magnetic presence anytime that she is on screen acting with a calm intensity adding to the mystery behind her character's motives. The back story of her character Solveig is one of the more interesting aspects of the film and even though it is intercut throughout the film, Poser conveys the tragic nature of it through her line deliveries and an acute vulnerability in her eyes. It might just be a career best performance for her. 

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The strength of her performance looms so large that it overshadows the performances of John and Zelda Adams. Early in the film they feel somewhat stilted and awkward (which may be down to their respective character backgrounds) but it doesn't entirely work. As the film progresses you can feel them growing into their roles, especially in scenes with Toby which really helps ramp up the tension as the film draws to its dramatic finale. 

With 'Mother of Flies', the Adams Family continue to exhibit how they are one of the leading voices in independent horror filmmaking. For all the beauty in the cinematography and the visceral nature of the special effects, it is the personal and deeply human element of the film that stands out most, thanks primarily to an incredible performance from Toby Poser. 

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

-Joseph McElroy

'Mother of Flies' received its UK Premiere at FrightFest '25 on August 25th