My Review Of “Seed” 2007

2007’s “Seed” is a retro-slasher from Uwe Boll, meant to lament a frustration over his cold reception into the horror world. More people seem to hate him than like him, it seems. There has only been a handful of films that Boll has directed that are in my wheelhouse as far as what I will watch. I actually liked more of those than I hated. I can’t speak for him based on all his material because a lot of the films he has made aren’t films I would watch regardless of the director or star.

As far as “Seed” is concerned, I found the film to be a dark, graphic, and blunt expressionist nightmare. The film stars Will Sanderson, Michael Paré, Ralf Möller, Jodelle Ferland, Thea Gill and Andrew Jackson. The story gives rise to a brutal, stoic killer that seems to kill for the shear pleasure of the torturous process of killing his victims. Not sure the motive, or reason for the obsession other than it appears to be his fetish, not the act of taking the life but the process by which the body finally breaks, along with the gruesome and macabre aftermath. All of which Uwe Boll forces the viewer to experience head on.

“Seed” is filmed in heavy atmospheric surrealism, blended with moments of splatter gore. Set in the 70’s, the backdrop is as macabre and depressing as the notion of witnessing the life leave someone you love. The killer, Seed, is a large, terrifying force of cruelty and death, shown completely and utterly without remorse or compassion. I am not even sure if he understands an actual difference between right and wrong. It wasn’t really established. Normally that would be an issue, however Boll frames the whole story as if we stepped into the middle of a horror unfolding. It forces you to either check out completely or set up and figure out the situation as you go. I actually enjoyed that because it made the viewing experience slightly uncomfortable.

The acting is pretty good in “Seed”. Most of the film is build on tense emotional interactions with limited dialog. The soundtrack and character conflicts tell most of the story. The dialog that does happen is based in the present with now “wordy” reflections or deep philosophical speeches to justify what we are seeing. The film really does feel classic in nature. The cinematography reminded me of “Hellraiser: Inferno”, with heavy noir elements. For me personally there is more that works here than goes wrong.

The special effects and soundtrack combine to give “Seed” that total horror feel. The slasher side of Boll’s vision is strong in the kill/death sequences. Most are practical effects that really push the comfortability level-moving into heavy splatter / gore territory. The downside is that, in a couple of the scenes, CGI spoils the overall effect of realism that is created by most of the other deaths. Uwe Boll has a habit of taking the effects one step to far into the tacky –where the CGI becomes too obvious to let the scene have a strong impact. Plus some of the sound effects, although very creepy and effect, seem like rip-offs of films that have come before “Seed”. But overall, “Seed” is an entertaining, brutal piece of slasher/ horror that most fans will enjoy-I did.