In this latest iteration of the old Invasion of the Body Snatchers theme, a dedicated researcher at a plant-breeding corporation (Emily Beecham) working on a new flower with great therapeutic potential takes one of the little crimson beauties home to her son. This is against company policy and a really bad idea. 

Apparently, if properly cared for (and spoken to), the plant, which she dubs “Little Joe” after her son, has the power to make people happy. But when her son’s attitude darkens and he begins displaying some radical groupthink sentiments, she begins to fear the thing and shares her concerns with fellow researcher Ben Whishaw. 

This is a visually striking, quietly unsettling little horror flick. You’ve seen this material before, but it has its own style and it grows on you

One of the most effective aspects of the film is Matz Mueller’s unsettling and violent audio design, making liberal use of the starkly percussive compositions of Teiji Ito. All the more impressive as the musician died in 1982. 

(105 min)